Underwater eruption creates new island in the Red Sea

Fishermen reported lava fountains spewing 90 feet (30 meters) into the sky off the west coast of Yemen on December 19, 2011.

Images subsequently released by NASA show that the lava fountains created a new island between two previously existing islands; the Rugged and Haycock islands.

After: Plume of ash rising from a newly created island in the Red Sea
Credit: NASA’s Earth Observing Satellite Advanced Land Imager

Before: Haydock (right) and Rugged Island as seen from space in October 24 2007.
Credit: NASA’s Earth Observing Satellite Advanced Land Imager

Since the newly created island is most likely made of loose volcanic debris, it is not yet clear whether it will be washed away by wave action or will become the eleventh island in the existing Zubair Group of islands.

“There are over 5,000 known submarine volcanoes,” says this article in the Daily Mail. However, “some are extremely difficult to find, even with today’s technology.”

See more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2079353/Amazing-pictures-Red-Sea-volcanic-e ruption-creates-new-land.html

See also:
http://news.yahoo.com/satellite-photo-shows-island-rising-earths-red-sea-170703840.html

Thanks to Laurel, Timothy Austin and Robert Stom for these links