Volcanic eruption under sea creates new crescent-shaped island in Japan 

Who says volcanic eruption brings only destruction, an undersea activity of same sorts has created a new landmass in Japan. All thanks to the eruption, the 6,000-plus islands, which make up the Japanese archipelago, have got a new addition around 1,200 km (745 miles) south of Tokyo, said scientists.  

After observing the eruption in the air, the island was discovered by the Japan’s Coast Guard on Sunday, a report in the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper said. 

The island has come up naturally in the Pacific Ocean. It is about 50km south of Minami Ioto, which is the southernmost island of the Ogasawara group. 

The new island is crescent-shaped and has a diameter of about 1km, said the coast guard. Taking history as a precedent, its appearance may be ephemeral. 

Some islands had formed in 1904, 1914 and 1986 in a similar way in the area but all disappeared due to erosion. 

It depends on the material it is formed from. Ash and other fragments are highly unlikely to bear the constant battering of waves, but continued volcanic activity has the power to produce lava flows that eventually form a more durable hard shell. 

The latest eruption, which began late last week, could continue, said Japan’s meteorological agency. It has also issued warnings about smoke and large ash deposits in the nearby waters.