Undersea Volcano

A volcano 3,900 feet under the surface of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa has been spitting out gas and lava for the last week, forcing the evacuation of nearby residents.

The eruption is occurring too close for comfort to an island called El Hierro. Ships are being ordered to stay out of the area and even airplanes aren’t allowed to fly over. The eruption is causing airborne volcanic fragments called pyroclasts to rise from the sea, and scientists weren’t immediately sure how much danger they could cause.

See the dramatic National Geographic photos below, along with video taken from a plane just two days ago.

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