People in parts of Papua New Guinea are facing an unusual problem. Floating volcanic rock is making boat travel difficult, blocking access to fishing grounds and disrupting daily life in coastal communities.
The source of the pumice is the ongoing Titan Ridge eruption from an underwater volcano in the Bismarck Sea. Since May 9, the eruption has produced vast amounts of pumice – a lightweight, porous volcanic rock that floats on the ocean surface.
Reports from Manus Province in the country’s northeast describe chunks of pumice accumulating along coastlines and waterways in enormous “rafts” 2–5 meters thick. In some locations, residents report being able to walk where there was previously open water.
It’s a strange sight, but not an unprecedented one. Submarine eruptions have produced similarly vast pumice rafts before, and the experience from those events suggests the disruption facing Manus communities could persist for months or even years, long after the Titan Ridge eruption itself has ended.
White plume and grey rafts of pumice spread from the Titan Ridge underwater volcano. Image by the European Space Agency.
