Pakistan earthquake raises new island from sea floor

New York Times : A 7.7-magnitude earthquake on 24 September in Pakistan raised a small island off the coast in the Arabian Sea. The island, which is about 100 feet by 250 feet (30.5 m by 76.2 m) and rises about 60 feet (18 m) above sea level, appears to be a section of uplifted sea floor. Because of reports of methane gas vents on the island, scientists propose that the island formed when the earthquake’s shaking released methane and water trapped in undersea sediments. In that respect, the island resembles a mud volcano , several examples of which can be found in the area. In mud volcanoes, trapped gases and water escape through vents and spill mud, much like lava from regular volcanoes. However, mud volcanoes are often characterized by continuous flows, and the new island appears to have been a one-time event. Other islands have formed in the area following earthquakes in 1999 and 2010, and there are reports of similar occurrences in the 1940s. All such islands tend to disappear relatively quickly due to erosion.