Climate Connections: Geology of the deep - Singapore at risk with 466 submarine volcanoes lurking at its doorstep

Singapore could be at risk of a tsunami, if an undersea volcano in its neighbouring region erupts.

Globally, tens of thousands of submerged volcanoes lurk beneath the ocean's surface, often going unnoticed and are vastly understudied. 

With the help of published data sets and sea-floor topography information, new research has revealed that there are some 466 submarine volcanoes in the waters of Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 

Scientists say in the event of an undersea volcanic eruption, volcanic ash can blow towards Singapore, blanketing the surface with fine ash, similar to an eruption of a land-based volcano. Additionally, lava flows and volcanic rock avalanches can damage undersea cables in the region, causing internet outages and disrupting financial transactions.

On this episode of Climate Connections, Dr Andrea Verolino, Research Fellow from the Earth Observatory of Singapore at NTU elaborates on his study aimed at uncovering the secrets these submarine volcanoes hold within.

Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)
Voiced by: Audrey Siek
Photo credits: NTU
Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors & news.com.au

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