By RYO OYAMA/ Staff Writer
November 3, 2023 at 16:58 JST
Earth and sand are sent into the air above a new islet off the coast of Iwoto island on Nov. 1. (Provided by Maritime Self-Defense Force)
Eruptions from an undersea volcano have apparently created an islet in the Ogasawara island chain more than 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean, officials said.
The Maritime Self-Defense Force’s air base on Iwoto island, previously known as Iwojima island, confirmed on Nov. 1 that new land had emerged about 1 km off the southern coast of the island.
Personnel stationed on the island heard a loud noise, saw earth and sand sent high into the air, and confirmed the existence of the new isle, the MSDF said.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, volcanic tremors have been detected on Iwoto island every few minutes since around Oct. 21, followed by eruptions off the southern coast.
The islet was formed near the crater of the undersea volcano.
Iwoto island itself has been rising due to the volcanic activity. In June, pumice stones likely spewed by the volcano were found in the sea near the island.
“It is possible that a large amount of rocks and stones ejected from the crater on the seafloor accumulated and created the islet,” a JMA official said.
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