There are no volcanoes in Bangladesh
(thankfully, because it is not as if they don’t have enough environmental
issues). Although interestingly enough,
there were several articles I stumbled upon which described the political
situation in Dhaka and all over Bangladesh as “volcanic” due to its potentially
volatility. I spent a huge amount of time sifting through articles with Bangladesh
and volcanoes in their titles only to discover that I was fumbling through a
series of bad metaphors. However, Bangladesh is located right next to the Arakan
State which does experience mud volcanoes. Mud volcanoes do not produce lava,
but rather hot or warm mud which is sulfurous and emit a sort of virgin methane
gas with less carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Essentially, water gets heated deep
beneath the earth’s crust. It finds its way (as hot things are wont to do)
towards a means of reaching the surface be that a fissure or a crevice in the
crust from which it then bubbles as hot, smelly mud. People actually bath in
certain mud volcanoes, just as they do in hot springs. In fact if you know what
a hot spring is, you sort of know what a mud volcano is. On another note, the
largest mud volcano is Mt. Lusi in Indonesia.
Bangladesh is also just north of the Adaman Islands where
Barren and Narcondam Islands are. Barren Island is one of the only currently
active volcanoes located in South Asia. It is a strato volcano with pyroclastic
cones, which translates to really friggin’ dangerous, run for your lives sort
of explosions. Narcondam is also a
strato volcano but it is more dormant. A quick note on “dormant” volcanoes:
there are none. If it exploded once, it will likely explode again. The question
is whether or not that will happen in your life time.
You have really done your research! My island does not have a volcano either. Thanks for explaining the stratovolcano/pyroclastic flow connection as well as volcano mud baths. I had no idea. now it has to be something I try, as it sounds amazing and just slightly on the adventurous side, less so than standing close to the volcano's edge. Good common sense on the "there is no dormant volcano". This is a force of nature which just astounds me and should be treated with so much more respect and fear than it receives.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with both! A volcano will always be a volcano....you always should keep an eye on them as we do not really know what the magma chamber below is doing all the time...
ReplyDelete