Turkey has 30 eruption scenarios for its 14 volcanos: Minister

ANKARA

Within the scope to evaluate dangers of volcanic eruptions, Turkey has generated some 30 scenarios for 14 volcanos spread across the country through the studies conducted in collaboration with the University of Bristol in the U.K., the energy and natural resources minister has said.

“We have worked on all the risk evaluations,” Fatih Dönmez said, responding to a parliamentary question on Jan. 17.

Following the volcanic eruption that cut communication systems in the Pacific island of Tonga, an opposition lawmaker asked Dönmez in a parliamentary question if Turkey had such a risk.

“There are some movements in the Hasan Dağı [a volcanic mountain in the Central Anatolia]. Is there any relation between volcanic activities and the earthquakes in the Aegean region? Has Turkey conducted any research about its volcanos?” asked Murat Bakan, an MP from the western province of İzmir.

In his response, Dönmez firstly listed 14 volcanos in the country and the provinces: Hasan Dağı (Aksaray-Niğde), Erciyes (Kayseri), Acıgöl (Nevşehir), Göllüdağ (Niğde), Karapınar (Konya), the plateau of Kars, Süphan (Bitlis), Tendürek (Bitlis-Ağrı), Mount Ağrı, Girekol hill (Van), Gölcük (Isparta), Kula (Manisa), Karacadağ (Diyarbakır).

“All the risk evaluations for potential eruptions for these mountains have been made,” the minister said. “Especially for 12 volcanos, officials have made some 220,000 simulations and generated some 30 tephra scenarios.”

Tephra is a general term for airborne pyroclastic material ejected during the course of a volcanic eruption.

The minister also included that the General Directorate of Mineral Exploration and Research (MTA) initiated three projects specific to the dangers of a probable eruption in the Hasan Dağı between 2010 and 2020.