State of emergency

A Commonwealth-wide state of disaster emergency was declared yesterday by the government following indications of major eruptions of a volcano in Alamagan that have forced evacuation of residents and restricted travels to the island north of Saipan.

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio, in his disaster declaration, said Alamagan is unsafe for human habitation and that travels to the tiny island will only be allowed for scientific expeditions, such as monitoring of the volcanic activities there.

There will be no permanent residency on Alamagan at least during the 30-day effective period of the order, which may be extended by the governor depending on the situation on the island.

Government officials, except personnel of the Department of Public Safety, and others on scientific missions are permitted travel there upon approval by the Emergency Management Office.

DPS, together with EMO and the Office of the Mayor of the Northern Islands, is granted authority to enforce the off-limits ban and they may seek assistance from federal agencies, like the US. Coast Guard, to carry out its duties.

The small volcano showed signs of possible eruptions last December after years of slumber, spewing thick black smoke and sulfuric smoke that prompted immediate rescue of dozens of residents on the island, about 159 miles north of Saipan.

Robert Y. Koyanagi, a scientist from the Hawaii Volcanic Observatory, has since alerted the CNMI government about potential “major eruptions” in Alamagan based on the findings of the US. Geological Survey.

“Geological field surveys conducted by USGS and known history of volcanic activity in this region confirm this,” he said in his report to EMO.

Koyanagi had recommended installation of monitoring device on the island to provide an early warning system of impending volcanic eruptions. EMO set up the system in a visit last June in which officials also had discovered that steaming from the side of the volcano remains.

They have determined that the island is “unsafe and should be declared off limits to the general public,” according to the governor’s declaration.

Although it believes that six to eight months is needed to make a “meaningful” assessment of the situation, EMO nonetheless asked Tenorio last week to raise alert status on Alamagan.

The last major eruptions in the Northern Marianas, a chain of volcanic rocks and formation in the Western Pacific, occurred in 1982 when a volcano in Pagan exploded after decades of inactivity.