Soldiers evacuated on volcano fears

Yemeni soldiers were evacuated from Huneish Island over the weekend on fears it could be affected by volcanic activity in the region.

The island is 75 kilometres from Al-Tair Mountain Island in the Red Sea, which has witnessed several quakes in recent months, according to chief of marine operations, General Anis Salem.

Salem told almotamar.net marine forces are carrying out continuous patrols and would ban any ships approaching the island.

An earthquake observation station was installed on Hunaish in late November to observe seismic activity in the Red Sea area.

Yemen’s Earthquake Observation Centre reported last Monday an earthquake in the Red Sea measuring 2.7 on the Richter scale, followed by a 1.9 quake two days later in the same area.

Six Yemeni soldiers were killed and 15 injured in September in an eruption on Jazirt Al-Tair triggered by several earthquakes. Lava and ash spewed hundreds of yards into the air from the volcano, which erupted again in early October, producing one kilometre long lava flows and blackening water within 10 kilometres of the island.