Signs To Look Out For Before A Volcanic Eruption

As late as Thursday, October 27, reports went rife of a volcanic eruption at the famous Mt Longonot along the Great Rift Valley, southeast of Lake Naivasha in Nakuru County.

Kenyans on social media shared multiple videos of flames being witnessed on the mountain allegedly caused by lava coming from the mountain, which was thought to have last erupted in the 1860s.

However, a correspondent who spoke to Viral Tea on Friday, October 28 denied claims of an eruption at the mountain, stating that it was just a wildfire that started around the area.

"It's a wildfire. Plus this is something geologists at KenGen would have picked first because they monitor the tectonic activities as they mine geothermal power," the correspondent told Viral Tea.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) thereafter issued a statement refuting reports of the stratovolcano erupting that night, stating that there was a fire mistaken for an eruption which was put out on Friday morning.

"Longonot National Park reported on Thursday, October 27, 2022, has been put out. An emergency response team dispatched to the area managed to contain and finally extinguish the inferno this morning.

"By the time the fire was put out, it had ravaged 40 hectares of bushland. There was no volcanic eruption of the mountain as reported in some media platforms. We assure that the park is safe for all visitors," the statement seen by Viral Tea read in part.

Despite the clarity, it would be wise for Kenyans to prepare for an event a mountain erupts, especially in the country. There is not much active volcanic activity in Kenya, with the Barrier, an active shield volcano located in the north of Kenya, last known to have erupted in 1921.

The closest shield volcano to Nairobi is Mount Suswa located in the Great Rift Valley between Narok and the capital city. The town with the same name, Suswa, is just northwest of the mountain and it is the main access point for visits to the mountain.

How To Tell If A Volcano Is About To Erupt

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), most volcanoes provide warnings before an eruption. Magmatic eruptions involve the rise of magma toward the surface, which normally generates detectable earthquakes.

It can also deform the ground surface and cause anomalous heat flow or changes in the temperature and chemistry of the groundwater and spring waters. Steam-blast eruptions, however, can occur with little or no warning as superheated water flashes to steam.

These precursors however do not indicate the type or scale of an expected eruption (that information is best obtained by mapping previous eruptions).

Precursors can continue for weeks, months, or even years before an eruptive activity begins, or they can subside at any time and not be followed by an eruption. Italy’s Campi Flegrei volcano, for example, has been showing signs of unrest for over 60 years.