November 21, 5.9 earthquake near Myanmar sets off series of mud volcanic eruptions

December 10, 2011 – MYNAMAR – An earthquake in Rakhine State has caused underground water temperatures to rise, setting off volcano eruptions of mud and small amounts of lava in the region also known as Burma. Retired geologist Soe Thein said volcanos in the Kyaukphyu Township area on Ramree Island were set off along a fault line. More volcano mud eruptions might occur, he said, but there is no danger or need for mass evacuations. “When there is earth crust movement in these fault lines, there will be underground water circulation and more water will move up to the surface as hot springs, but they are not like real volcanoes. They do not pose a danger to people,” Soe Thein said. The highest number of underground hot spring fault lines is in Kyaukphyu Township. The hot spring fault line runs through Magwe Region. A mud volcano erupted on November 26 on a small hill one mile west of Bawyabaya village, about 32 miles from Kyaukphyu. The eruption sent magma and lava 15-feet into the air, and about 5 acres of nearby land was covered by magma. By evening, the eruptions had subsided, said local residents. Past eruptions in the area occurred in 1990 and 2000. On November 21, an earthquake occurred with an epicenter 32 kilometers northeast of Homlin in Sagaing Region measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, Soe Thein said. It probably triggered the mud eruptions, he said. “The underground hot water in the fault line was pushed up to the surface and the eruptions took place,” he said. Two mud volcanoes in Sai Chong village east of Kyaukphyu erupted in January 2008. Lava and magma shot up to 300-feet high and a small amount of lava covered about 200 feet in the nearby area, the New Light of Myanmar reported on January 8. –Mizzima