A Japanese island has grown 11 times its size in just over a year
QMI Agency
First posted: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 04:52 PM EST | Updated: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 05:21 PM EST
We've heard about islands disappearing into the ocean, but how about one growing?
Nishinoshima island, a small volcanic land mass off the coast of Japan, is doing just that.
An underwater eruption about 15 months ago spurred a growth spurt for the island, which has since grown 11 times its original size, Hawaii News Now reports.
The growth started as a Nov. 2013 eruption formed a small island nearby, which gradually fused with Nishinoshima as the eruption continued and lava connected the two.
Coast Guards in the area have estimated the mass to be more than 2.45 square kilometres, measuring 1,950 metres east to west and 1,800 metres north to south.
But the island isn't done yet.
Coast Guards reported in late February a crater was still spewing out volcanic rock five or six times each minute, as shown in the footage below.
Nishinoshima island in July 2014. (NASA Earth Observatory/Jesse Allen & Robert Simmon)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohzd7GuIrtI
A Japanese island has grown 11 times its size in just over a year | World | News
QMI Agency
First posted: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 04:52 PM EST | Updated: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 05:21 PM EST
We've heard about islands disappearing into the ocean, but how about one growing?
Nishinoshima island, a small volcanic land mass off the coast of Japan, is doing just that.
An underwater eruption about 15 months ago spurred a growth spurt for the island, which has since grown 11 times its original size, Hawaii News Now reports.
The growth started as a Nov. 2013 eruption formed a small island nearby, which gradually fused with Nishinoshima as the eruption continued and lava connected the two.
Coast Guards in the area have estimated the mass to be more than 2.45 square kilometres, measuring 1,950 metres east to west and 1,800 metres north to south.
But the island isn't done yet.
Coast Guards reported in late February a crater was still spewing out volcanic rock five or six times each minute, as shown in the footage below.
Nishinoshima island in July 2014. (NASA Earth Observatory/Jesse Allen & Robert Simmon)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohzd7GuIrtI
A Japanese island has grown 11 times its size in just over a year | World | News
