Summary of Volcanic and Seismic Activity on the Planet Since the Beginning of 2025

The increasing frequency of climate disasters on the planet is forcing humanity to adapt to new conditions, and this process is becoming increasingly difficult. At the beginning of 2025, there was a noticeable rise in volcanic and seismic activity. This overview will focus on this very topic.

Santorini Island, Greece

Thousands of people hastily fled the Greek island of Santorini, using any available means of transportation: airplanes, boats, private yachts, and even tour boats. By February 5, 2025, the number of people who had left the island exceeded 11,000. The cause of this massive exodus was an intense swarm of earthquakes.

Seismic activity in the region began on January 24. The epicenters of the earthquakes were located along a tectonic fault near two volcanoes—Santorini and the underwater Kolumbo volcano—both part of the South Aegean Volcanic Arc.

Since Greece is situated in a seismically active zone, earthquakes are not uncommon, and the initial tremors did not cause panic among residents. However, on February 1, the frequency and magnitude of the quakes suddenly increased, and within just three days, the volcanic island was shaking every few minutes. Landslides and cracks in some older buildings were reported on Santorini.

A swarm of earthquakes struck the Santorini and Amorgos island region in the Aegean Sea in just four days

Between February 1 and 4, the Institute of Geodynamics at the National Observatory of Athens recorded more than 31,000 seismic tremors in this area.

The strongest seismic event was a magnitude 5.2 earthquake that occurred on the evening of February 5. The hypocenter was at a depth of 5 km (3.1 mi).

A state of emergency was declared on the island, and firefighters and medical personnel from Naxos Island arrived to assist the population.

Due to the overwhelming number of people trying to leave Santorini, additional ferry services were launched. However, a storm that began on the same day severely disrupted evacuation efforts, halting not only small boats but also ferry operations. As a result, many people were stranded at the Santorini port, waiting for a chance to escape the hazardous region.

Unfortunately, the situation on the Greek island is just one example of the increasing frequency of seismic and volcanic activity at the beginning of 2025.

Iceland

Volcanic activity is also increasing in Iceland.

On January 2, a series of underground tremors was recorded near the Grjótárvatn volcano, which is part of the Ljósufjöll volcanic system. The tremors lasted for about 40 minutes. Scientists believe this may be linked to a possible deep magma intrusion.

Throughout January, approximately 100 earthquakes were recorded in the area. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), the strongest earthquake, with a magnitude of 3.2, occurred on January 16.

Notably, the last eruption of this volcanic system occurred in the 10th century AD.

On January 14, a powerful earthquake swarm was detected in the northwestern part of the Bárðarbunga caldera.

A swarm of earthquakes struck the Bárðarbunga volcano area in Iceland

The strongest tremor, which occurred at 08:05 UTC, reached a magnitude of 5.1. A particularly alarming detail is that the hypocenter was at a very shallow depth—only 100 m (328 ft).

Ahyi Submarine Volcano, Northern Mariana Islands

The Ahyi submarine volcano, located 18 km (11 mi) southeast of Farallon de Pajaros in the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean, is showing signs of increased activity. The volcano’s summit is at a depth of 75 m (246 ft).

Satellite imagery analysis from January 2, 10, and 18 revealed the presence of a plume of discolored water, a characteristic indicator of volcanic activity. On January 9, this was further confirmed by underwater pressure sensors installed near Wake Island, located 2,270 km (1,411 mi) away from the submarine volcano.

An eruption of the Ahyi submarine volcano has been recorded in the Northern Mariana Islands

The eruption of Ahyi volcano signals an increase in endogenous activity in the region, raising serious concerns due to its proximity to the Mariana Trench, where the Earth's crust is at the thinnest. According to computational models, an escalation in magmatic activity in this area could lead to magma breaching the surface, resulting in catastrophic consequences for all life on the planet.

Ibu Volcano, Indonesia

In January 2025, Ibu Volcano, located on Halmahera Island in North Maluku Province, Indonesia, exhibited a sharp increase in activity.

Between January 1 and 19, 2025, 1,079 eruptions were recorded at Ibu.

For comparison, a little over 2,000 eruptions were recorded throughout all of 2024.

Crustal deformation and an increase in shallow seismic activity were also observed near the volcano.

A particularly noteworthy fact is that during the period from January 1 to 15 of this year, volcanic eruptions were characterized by significantly higher ash plumes, reaching up to 4 km (2.5 mi) above the summit. This is a substantial increase compared to 2023, when the ash columns typically reached around 1.5 km (0.9 mi).

After the strongest eruption on January 15, the alert level was raised to its maximum—Level 4.

Authorities announced the evacuation of 3,000 residents from six nearby settlements. However, despite the danger, many locals refused to leave their homes, explaining that they were accustomed to such events and were currently occupied with harvesting crops. As of January 19, 2025, only 517 residents had been successfully evacuated out of the more than 3,000 at risk.

Relocation of people evacuated from the hazard zone near Ibu Volcano, Indonesia

Erta Ale Volcano, Ethiopia

In the Main Ethiopian Rift, which is part of the East African Rift System, seismic and volcanic activity is also increasing.

Erta Ale volcano is located in the Danakil Desert, in northeastern Ethiopia, Africa. It is famous for its lava lake, which has existed for most of the past several decades.

However, on January 13, 2025, a volcanic eruption caused lava to not only fill the crater but also overflow beyond its boundaries. For the first time in 20 years, the lava reached tourist campsites.

Flowing lava from Erta Ale volcano, Ethiopia

Dofen and Fentale Volcanoes, Ethiopia

Intense seismo-volcanic activity continues in the area of Fentale and Dofen volcanoes, which began on December 22, 2024. It is believed that this activity is caused by magma intrusion beneath the Earth's surface. On January 3, a new vent opened on Dofen Volcano, releasing powerful jets of steam, rocks, and mud.

According to data provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), by January 13, a total of 124 earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 4.1 to 5.7 had been recorded in the region.

Large ground fissures caused by the earthquakes damaged infrastructure and resulted in injuries among local residents.

Road cracks caused by the earthquake swarm in Ethiopia

Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, USA

The eruption of Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii Island (USA) continues, having begun on December 23, 2024.

Since the start of the eruption, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has recorded eight lava outbursts, the most recent occurring on February 3. The duration of these eruptions has ranged from 14 hours to 8 days.

Kilauea volcano spewing lava and gases, Hawaii Island, USA

During the most active phase of the eruption, lava fountains reached heights of up to 100 m (328 ft), accompanied by volcanic gas emissions. Fragments of volcanic rock and ash were found in Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Additionally, volcanic glass fibers, known as Pele’s hair, were discovered in nearby communities. These fibers can pose a respiratory hazard to humans.

Nevado del Ruiz Volcano, Colombia

On January 22, the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz Volcano in Colombia was visible from multiple areas in its immediate vicinity. Subsequently, large amounts of ash fell in the cities of Manizales and Villamaría, both located within a 30 km (18.6 mi) radius of the crater.

Powerful ash column ejected by Nevado del Ruiz Volcano, Colombia

A week prior, starting on January 14, seismic activity intensified in the region, attributed to the movement of magma and gases beneath the Earth’s surface.

Supervolcanoes pose an even greater danger. Their massive eruptions in the distant past have triggered global catastrophes, wiping out life across the planet. Today, large cities are often situated within their gigantic calderas, raising serious concerns about potential future eruptions.

Sakurajima Volcano, Japan

Sakurajima Volcano is located within the Aira Caldera, which is considered one of the most dangerous supervolcanoes on the planet. Since January 20, the Japan Meteorological Agency has reported increased volcanic activity. Sulfur dioxide emissions have reached 3,200 tons per day.

By the end of January, multiple explosive eruptions had occurred, producing ash columns that rose up to 2,700 m (8,858 ft) above the crater. Large fragments of volcanic rock were ejected up to 1,300 m (4,265 ft) away.

During the eruption on January 30, volcanic lightning was observed.

Volcanic lightning, Sakurajima Supervolcano, Japan

Satellite GNSS observations have detected expansion in the deeper parts of the caldera, raising serious concerns among experts.

Campi Flegrei Supervolcano, Italy

On February 5, an earthquake with a magnitude of 3.1 was recorded near the Campi Flegrei supervolcano in Italy, in close proximity to its volcanic caldera. The hypocenter was located at a depth of approximately 2 km (1.2 mi). In total, over a period of five weeks, from December 31, 2024, to February 2, 2025, a total of 281 earthquakes with magnitudes of up to 3.3 were registered in the area.

Earthquake swarm in the Campi Flegrei Caldera, Italy

Seismic activity in the region is intensifying, reflected in an increase in earthquake magnitudes.

Additionally, the depth of earthquakes is also increasing, which could indicate activation of the magma chamber.

Scientists who have been monitoring the supervolcano since 1984 report a gradual weakening of the Earth's crust in this area. Another sign of Campi Flegrei’s reactivation is the change in the isotopic composition of sulfur in volcanic gases, suggesting an influx of hot magma from deep reservoirs, further destabilizing the crust. Concerns about the state of the volcanic caldera are growing, as nearly half a million people reside within the red zone, meaning they live in direct proximity to the volcano.

This year, increased volcanic activity has also been observed in Colombia, Costa Rica, Russia, Indonesia, the United States, Mexico, Japan, Italy, Peru, Vanuatu, and the Philippines—and this is far from a complete list.

This surge in seismic and volcanic activity can be attributed to several factors.

Firstly, Earth’s core is being impacted by the external cosmic influence, which adds energy to the system.

As this energy is converted into heat, the mantle becomes hotter, magma becomes more fluid, the flow of endogenous heat from the Earth's interior to the surface increases, and new magma chambers begin to form.

Secondly, the world's oceans, heavily polluted with plastic, can no longer effectively dissipate heat from the Earth's interior which also contributes to the accumulation of the Earth's internal energy.

For these same reasons, not only are geodynamic processes intensifying, but so are large-scale climate changes and disasters.

This trend aligns perfectly with the mathematical model presented by an international team of scientists several years ago. And the forecasts for 2025 do not bring any good news. 

 Yet, instead of focusing on the core issue and seeking solutions, humanity continues to engage in everything except what is necessary for the survival of civilization.

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