Jolo Group of Volcanoes

The Jolo Group of Volcanoes, more commonly referred to as the Jolo Group, are an active group of volcanoes in the island of Jolo in Southern Philippines. The Global Volcanism Program lists Jolo as one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines[1] while the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) collectively list the group as Bud Dajo, one of the cinder cones on the island.

Location

Jolo is a volcanic island located 150 kilometres (93 mi) southwest of the southern tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula of Mindanao Island. The island is part of the Sulu Archipelago, in the province of Sulu, located within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, one of the Regions of the Philippines.

Physical features

The figure-eight shaped island is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) at its longest, about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) at its widest and about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) at the narrowest section. The volcanic island is dotted with cinder cones, tuff cones, pyroclastic cones, maars and crater lakes.

The highest point in the island is Mount Tumatangas[2] with an elevation of 811 metres (2,661 ft) asl. Bud Dajo has an elevation of 620 metres (2,030 ft) asl.

Guimba, Matanding, and Sungal, are some other volcanic cones near Bud Dajo. Four crater lakes are located on the island: Lake Seit, Lake Panamao and Lake Timpuak and Sani Crater Lake. Solfataric activity is found at Seit Lake.

Volcanic activity

On January 4, 1641, a volcanic eruption covered much of Mindanao in darkness and sent showers of ash as far as Cebu and Panay. It was reported at the time as being from a small island "opposite the main river of Jolo" and the only possible source of eruption in Jolo is Mount Dakula near Lake Panamao.[3] From recent studies, the eruption was finally attributed to Mount Parker in South Cotabato.

A tsunami occurred in 1897, believed to have been caused by a local submarine eruption on September 21, 1897. It is possible this eruption was centered at Lake Seit, a volcanic maar with still active solfatara.

Volcanoes in the Jolo Group are young and considered active on the probable eruptions above.

Geology

Rock types are predominantly basalt and andesite.

Jolo Group is part of the Sulu Volcanic Arc, one of the two northeastern arms of the Sunda Plate which is in collision with the Philippine Mobile Belt. It is an area of frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Like most volcanos in the former Sultanate of Sulu, the group is little studied scientifically.

All volcanos in the Philippines are part of the Pacific ring of fire.

Political

Because of aggravated political unrest, kidnappings of foreigners in 2009, and fighting between political independence and government forces, visitors are strongly recommended to keep away from the Jolo islands.

See also

References
  1. "Jolo". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  2. "Jolo – Synonyms & Subfeatures". Global Volcanism Program. Retrieved on January 28, 2011.
  3. Some Philippine Volcanoes Archived July 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

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