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<\/p>\nFloating volcanic rock from an unusual undersea volcano has inundated coastal villages in Papua New Guinea, prompting food, water and health concerns in vulnerable communities.<\/p>\n
Masses of thick pumice stone have washed ashore in Manus Province, trapping seafaring villagers.<\/p>\n
It comes after several eruptions in the past month from an active undersea volcano in the Bismarck Sea, about 125 kilometres south-east of Manus.<\/p>\n
Councillor Raymond Simeku from Baon village, one of the worst-impacted areas, said he had never seen anything like it.<\/p>\n
“I was so shocked,” Mr Simeku said.<\/p>\n
“We are stuck in the village, unable to travel out to market or go out to fish right now \u2026 and it’s continuing to build up.<\/p>\n
“It’s sort of like a desert. You cannot come in and we cannot go out.”<\/p>\n
Residents walk along the coastline that is inundated with floating volcanic pumice stone. (Supplied: Manus MP’s Office)<\/p>\n
Pumice is a light-weight and highly porous form of rock created when lava from volcanic eruptions cools rapidly.<\/p>\n
Dense and stagnant coverage in coastal areas can block sunlight and kill coral, fish and other marine animals.<\/p>\n
Cr Simeku said people were extremely anxious, with food and water availability an immediate concern.<\/p>\n
Residents of Baon rely heavily on boats for fishing and trading crops but have been unable to travel off their remote island for days.<\/p>\n
“We tried one boat going out but it nearly sank like quicksand,” he said.<\/p>\n
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Residents are calling on the government to address the issue. (Supplied: Manus MP’s Office)<\/p>\n
He said there was also a strain on water supplies, with people using drinking water to bathe because they could not wash in the sea.<\/p>\n
“Our water supplies are actually running down because so much water has been consumed just for bathing,” he said.<\/p>\n
“We need more water tanks to accommodate for water.”<\/p>\n
He said access to medical services was also a concern, with villagers usually relying on boats to access health clinics.<\/p>\n
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Communities are concerned about their ability to travel and the impact on the environment. (Supplied: Manus MP’s Office)<\/p>\n
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said the government was conducting urgent assessments of the situation.<\/p>\n
“We understand that discharges from this undersea volcanic activity are affecting movement, traffic, and creating uncertainty amongst our people,” he said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“Our immediate concern is the safety and wellbeing of island communities in and around Manus, particularly.”<\/p>\n
Mr Marape said the government was determining how best to respond.<\/p>\n
“We want a total assessment of what is happening and how government can best prepare our people for the worst-case scenario,” he said.<\/p>\n
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The volcano has erupted sporadically since early May. (Facebook: Stanis Yohang)<\/p>\n
The Titan Ridge volcano began erupting in early May, with intense explosions of ash visible from space and witnessed by some fishermen.<\/p>\n
Cr Simeku said it could also be heard from Baon village.<\/p>\n
“Some residents actually hear and see sort of lights and hear noise of eruptions sometimes during the night,” he said.<\/p>\n
Steven Saunders from the Rabaul Volcanic Observatory said the event could happen once or twice in a century.<\/p>\n
“It is still active, but much reduced. But being a natural phenomenon it may pick up again,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The pumice production has reduced significantly, but it is now being transported by wind and current.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“They will determine if it builds up on islands or gets dispersed.”<\/p>\n