The eruption of a submarine volcano in the Ogasawara Islands has caused a large amount of pumice to be washed ashore, affecting fishing and tourism, experts point out that the impact may be long-term and is a type of volcanic disaster. I am.

A large amount of pumice stones erupted by the eruption of the submarine volcano "Fukutoku Okanoba" in the Ogasawara Islands have been washed ashore on the main island of Okinawa, affecting the tourism industry such as damage to the fishing industry and marine leisure.

Professor Emeritus Yuzo Kato of Ryukyu University, who is familiar with volcanoes, was investigating when pumice stones, which are believed to have erupted in the same submarine volcano eruption in 1986, were washed ashore on the main island of Okinawa.



Regarding this situation, Professor Emeritus Kato said, "In addition to the extraordinary number of ejecta from the previous time, before the pumice stones collided with each other and became sandy and sank to the seabed, they were blown to Okinawa in a short time by the strong wind caused by the typhoon. Therefore, the amount has increased. "



Regarding the outlook for the future, "Pumice stones will collide with each other and will be scraped off, so they will eventually disappear. I think that it will be pretty clean in a year or two, but that doesn't mean that the fishing industry will be for a year or two. I can't stop it. I think it's a serious problem and a kind of volcanic disaster. "



Furthermore, regarding the impact on the ecosystem, Professor Emeritus Kato said, "There is concern that pumice stones will affect the growth of corals by blocking sunlight, and that pumice stones will accumulate and have an adverse effect. Will be done. "

Shipping companies are also busy responding

Due to the pumice stones drifting around the main island of Okinawa, companies that operate ferries that connect the main island of Okinawa and the surrounding remote islands are busy removing the pumice stones that have been taken into the ship's equipment. increase.



Of these, at Daito Kaiun, which operates a freighter that connects Tomari Port in Naha City and the north and south Daito Islands, pumice stones are removed by increasing the number of maintenance so that the filter of the device that takes in seawater for cooling the engine is not clogged. I am.



On Kitadaito Island, a large amount of pumice stones are flowing into the harbor, which means that pumice stones get into the device while unloading the cargo with the engine running.



Toru Tamaki said, "It takes more time and labor to maintain than usual, so please do not increase the amount of pumice stones any more."

In the northern part of the main island of Okinawa, it also affects the vicinity of the mouth of the river

In the northern part of the main island of Okinawa, we were able to confirm that the impact is spreading, such as pumice stones covering not only the coast but also the vicinity of the river mouth.



Of these, the sandy beach of Tokijin, Nakijin Village was covered with countless pumice stones that had washed ashore, and it seemed that a gray carpet was laid.



Normally, the emerald green sea was also brown and muddy, and when I checked the underwater condition from the coast with a camera, it was packed with pumice stones.



In the nearby river, pumice stones spread near the mouth of the river and about 300 meters upstream, and the water surface was brown and muddy.



According to a marine leisure company that tours parasailing off the coast of Motobu, pumice stones began to accumulate in the device that sucks up seawater and cools the engine from a few days ago when the ship was sailed.



When pumice stones are clogged, engine troubles occur, so we check frequently and avoid places where pumice stones are floating when sailing.



A man in his thirties in Kyoto, who enjoyed parasailing, said, "When I saw it from the sky, I saw pumice stones extending thinly on the surface of the sea."



Takuya Miyahira, the manager of a marine leisure company, said, "I have no choice but to watch over now. If the place where parasailing is held is covered with pumice stones, I am worried that I will have to stop the tour."

Around the main island of Okinawa A large amount of pumice drifts off the coast of remote islands

In the video taken from the NHK helicopter on the 26th, it was confirmed that a large amount of pumice stones were drifting off the coast of the remote islands around the main island of Okinawa, and some of them were drifting to the coast.



Of these, we were able to confirm that pumice stones were floating in strips on the sea around Kudaka Island in Nanjo City, which is located in the southeastern part of the main island of Okinawa, and that they were rushing to the coast of the island.



It was confirmed that it was drifting on the coast of Tsuken Island in Uruma City, and that pumice stones were also drifting inside Nakagusuku Bay off the Katsuren Peninsula.



In addition, a large amount of pumice stones were washed ashore on the coast of Ukibaru Island in Uruma City, an uninhabited island, and the beach was all gray.



In addition, it was washed ashore on the sandy beach of Ikei Island in Uruma City, and it was confirmed that it looked like a streak from the sky.