Anatahan tremors diminish, FDM flights added

The continuous low amplitude tremor on Anatahan island that began on May 10 and continued through Wednesday diminished even further, according to the latest joint report from the Emergency Management Office and the U.S. Geological Survey.

The report also said that satellite images showed the ash plume diminishing as well.

“The ash is only moderately thick [and] now rises to only 8,000 feet,” the report stated.

The ash currently extends 200 nautical miles to the west-southwest of the island, with thinner ash extending further by another 150 nautical miles in a west-northwest direction.

Vog—volcanic smog—from the active volcano still extends westward for 550 nautical miles north of Anatahan to the Philippines. The report showed that within the vog area, a passing ship reported visibility at only 2.5 miles.

Anatahan experienced a brief series of tremors on May 9, followed by earthquakes registering a magnitude of 1.5 on the Richter scale late in the evening and early the next morning. The intensity of the tremor began to drop continuously.

Anatahan first erupted on May 10, 2003. The eruption on April 6 was the largest historical eruption of Anatahan and expelled roughly 50 million cubic meters of ash. Ash and haze as a result of the eruption darkened the skies over Saipan and Tinian.

For more information, contact EMO geophysical seismic technician Juan Takai Camacho at 322-9528 or email at juantcamacho@hotmail.com; geophysical instrument specialist Ramon Chong at 322-9528 or email at rcchongemo@hotmail.com; or USGS geologist Frank Trusdellat (808) 967-8812, fax: (808) 967-8890, or email at trusdell@usgs.gov.

Meanwhile, the EMO and the Naval Forces Marianas said that the U.S. military has added more aerial and live-fire training exercises at Farallon De Mendenilla.

The earlier announcement of the training exercises indicated that only one exercise will be conducted after May 13.

Additional dates include May 17, from 7:30am to 8pm, and May 19, from 4pm to 7pm. Both dates feature live-fire training.

An aerial survey will then be conducted on May 23, from 8am to 1pm.

“The general location of these activity will be on the island of Farallon De Mendenilla training area from 15,000 feet mean sea level on a 10 nautical mile radius on all quadrants,” EMO said.

The public, especially fishermen, commercial pilots and marine tour operators, are urged to stay away from the location during these dates and times due to the danger imposed by the activities.

For more information, contact the EMO Operations Section at 322-9572/9529/8001-3 ext 23, 24, 31, VHF Marine Radio Channel 16, HF single side band radio on 5.205.0 or visit the website at www.cnmiemo.gov.mp.