Volcano Eruption Response Helps Reduce Disaster Risk
FrontLines - October 2009
By Meredith Metzler
Every year an average of 50 volcanoes erupt worldwide, putting
lives, economic productivity, and homes in danger. USAID is responding to that risk with the world’s only volcano crisis response team. |
Local children watch as a Volcano Disaster Assistance Program volcanologist and scientists from the Geological Survey of Tanzania discuss Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano.
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In the wake of the 1985 eruption
of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia that killed over 23,000 people, USAID established the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP) in partnership with the U.S. Geological
Survey (USGS).
The Saudi Geological Survey monitors volcanic vents (cinder cones) like these at Harra Lunayyir volcano, Saudi Arabia.
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Scientists from the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program and the Geological Survey of Tanzania assess the ashfall from a recent eruption of Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, Tanzania.
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VDAP scientific teams travel to volcanic areas throughout the world, using mobile volcano-monitoring equipment to assess hazards and generate eruption forecasts that allow local authorities
to evacuate high-risk areas before a disaster occurs.In June 2009, the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) asked VDAP to help monitor the Harra Lunayyir volcanic area in northwestern
Saudi Arabia. Since early 2007, the region has experienced increasing seismic activity, including
swarms of micro-earthquakes, prompting fears of a possible major eruption and the evacuation of approximately 40,000 people.
A two-person VDAP team provided satellite radar data, and helped with eruption forecasting and seismic risk assessment. The scientists concluded that major eruptions or earthquakes are unlikely to happen soon, but that the risks could increase suddenly, requiring swift evacuations.
The team also helped establish
a permanent monitoring and warning system that will allow the SGS to assess the volcano in real time, 24 hours a day. In the event of seismic unrest or an eruption, the SGS will immediately
issue warnings to emergency
managers and the public.
Every volcano is different, so VDAP teams have to adapt their evaluations to suit the situation.
In Tanzania, Ol Doinyo Lengai
volcano reawakened after 40 years of low-level activity, erupting explosively several times between September 2007 and April 2008. The explosions and accompanying ash forced evacuations and contaminated nearby water supplies and grasslands that nomadic herders depend on to feed their cattle.
Two VDAP scientists and Gari Mayberry, the geoscience advisor for USAID and USGS, traveled to Ol Doinyo Lengai at the request of the Tanzanian
government in January to evaluate the risks and make recommendations. The project was particularly challenging as the volcano lacked monitoring equipment.
"We usually do not deal with volcanoes that have no monitoring
equipment, so this forced us to look at the situation in a new way," said Mayberry. "We determined
that disaster risk reduction
education may be the most feasible way to reduce the hazard around Ol Doinyo Lengai in the short term."
The VDAP team recommended
teaching local villagers techniques to protect themselves and their animals from an eruption,
and creating an emergency evacuation plan.
"As growing human populations
push ever closer to volcanic zones, VDAP’s work to protect lives and livelihoods will become more important," said Mayberry. "The field teams’ assessments and capacity-building work with local counterparts will continue to help prevent future eruptions from becoming disasters."
Since 1986, USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
has provided $16.7 million to VDAP.
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A Volcano Disaster Assistance Program seismologist consults with the Saudi geological survey director of the Earthquake and Volcanoes Center at a ground fissure resulting from the May 19 earthquake in Harra Lunayyir.
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