Thursday, September 28, 2017

And In Other Volcano News: More than 120,000 flee Bali’s Mt Agung volcano

There are actually three major volcanoes set to erupt in the Pacific but for now Bali and Vanuatu are more news/insurance-worthy.
From News Corp, Australia:
AS MOLTEN rock heats up and pushes through the volcanic crevice to find weak points to penetrate, there’s one problem for tourists.

DEEP inside the giant volcano that has Indonesian authorities, residents and tourists on edge, magma is rising. 

Molten rock, which has been accumulating for the last 50 years or more, is heating up and slowly dissolving the rock above, while the pressure is pushing through the volcanic crevice and finding weak points to penetrate.

Increased temperature in the groundwater is creating steam filled with gases like sulphur dioxide; it’s been steaming away quite strongly over the last week. Volcanic gases, which smell really bad and are quite dangerous, fill the air.

A plume hovers above off the top of the volcano about 500 metres above the crater’s rim.
It’s getting thicker, pulsating a little bit.

As it’s doing that, the mountain is shaking, there’s deep volcanic earthquakes. 10-15 kilometres below the surface the rocks are melting, interacting with water and ocean sediment, melting, trying to bubble their way up to their source.

Once they do, that’s when Mount Agung will erupt.
Mount Agung, about 75 kilometres from the tourist hub of Kuta, has been shaking since August.

But the issue for experts attempting to map out a possible eruption timeline in Bali is the fact that no one really knows when the giant, rumbling volcano will blow.

It could be in the next ten minutes for all we know. Or the next hour. It could be not at all.

For two weeks, all signs have pointed to an imminent eruption. Indonesian authorities are on standby to divert flights destined for the holiday island as increasingly frequent tremors from Mt Agung stoke fears an eruption could be imminent....MORE
Volcano insurance?
Why yes stranger.
The state of Washington wants everyone to know about "Volcano coverage for your home and auto"

The major property/casualty insurer State Farm has a page devoted to "How Volcano Damage is Covered on Your Insurance"
Here's a testimonial:


Peter: "No, no, no. I read about this in a book once."
Brian: "You sure it was a book? You sure it wasn't nothing?"

Salesman: "How about I let you in on something every home owner needs: VOLCANO INSURANCE!
Now, I have an uncle that knows a lot about volcanos, and he says a volcano is coming THIS WAY."

Peter: "But we've never had any trouble with volcanos."
Salesman: "Well don't you think we're due for one?"

Peter (thinking): Touche, salesman. I too have an uncle.
Peter: Come in.