At the beginning of 2025, there was a noticeable rise in volcanic and seismic activity. This review will focus on this topic.
Santorini Island, Greece
More than 11,000 people hurriedly left the Greek island of Santorini due to an intense swarm of earthquakes. Seismic activity in the region began on January 24. The earthquake epicenters were located along a tectonic fault near the Santorini and Kolumbo volcanoes. On February 1, the frequency and intensity of the tremors increased sharply, and within three days, the island was shaking every few minutes.
Iceland
On January 2, a series of underground tremors was recorded near the Grettirvatn volcano, lasting about 40 minutes. Notably, the last eruption of this volcanic system occurred in the 10th century AD.
On January 14, a powerful swarm of earthquakes was detected in the northwestern part of the Bardarbunga caldera, with the strongest tremor reaching a magnitude of 5.1. What is particularly alarming is that the epicenter was at a very shallow depth—only 100 meters.
Northern Mariana Islands
The underwater Ahyi volcano, located in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean, is showing signs of activity. Satellite images from January 2, 10, and 18 revealed plumes of discolored water, a characteristic sign of volcanic activity. On January 9, underwater pressure sensors near Wake Island confirmed this activity.
Indonesia
In January 2025, Indonesia's Ibu volcano showed a sharp increase in activity. During the first 20 days of the month, it erupted more than a thousand times.
Ethiopia
Seismic and volcanic activity is also intensifying in the Main Ethiopian Rift. The Erta Ale volcano, famous for its persistent lava lake over the past decades, erupted on January 13, 2025. Lava not only filled the crater but also overflowed, reaching tourist camps for the first time in 20 years.
Hawaii, USA
On Hawaii’s Big Island, the eruption of Kilauea, which began in late 2024, continues. Since the start of the eruption, eight lava flows have been recorded, with the latest occurring on February 3. Additionally, thin strands of volcanic glass, known as Pele’s hair, have been found in nearby communities, posing a risk to human respiratory health.
Supervolcanoes – A Major Threat
Supervolcanoes pose an even greater threat. Their powerful eruptions in the distant past have caused global catastrophes, wiping out life on the planet. Today, large cities are often located in their giant calderas.
Sakurajima volcano is located within the Aira Caldera, one of the most dangerous supervolcanoes on the planet. On January 20, Japan's Meteorological Agency reported increased volcanic activity. Several explosive eruptions occurred before the end of the month, with ash plumes rising up to 2,700 meters above the crater and large volcanic rock fragments flying up to 1,300 meters away.
On February 5, an earthquake of magnitude 3.1 was recorded near the Italian supervolcano Campi Flegrei, just outside its volcanic caldera. The earthquake's hypocenter was at a depth of about 2 km. Over the course of five weeks, 281 earthquakes with magnitudes of up to 3.3 were recorded in the region, indicating increased seismic activity.
Concerns are growing over the state of this volcanic caldera because nearly half a million people live in the red zone, directly adjacent to the volcano.
This surge in volcanic activity can be explained by several factors:
1. External Cosmic Influence on Earth's Core – This adds energy to the core, which, when converted to heat, increases mantle temperatures, makes magma more fluid, enhances the flow of endogenous heat toward the surface, and creates new magma chambers.
2. Pollution of the World's Oceans with Plastic – The ocean can no longer efficiently dissipate heat from the Earth's interior, leading to increased accumulation of internal planetary energy.
For these same reasons, not only geodynamic processes but also large-scale climate changes and natural disasters are intensifying.
This pattern fully aligns with the mathematical model presented by an international group of scientists several years ago. The forecasts for 2025 do not look promising.
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