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From: Gerald Ernst <plumeman2000@xxxxxxxxxxx>
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OLDOYNIO LENGAI: Trying to assess fact from fiction on activity there
Following the message from Zsolt Boszormenyi, which unfortunately does
not contain any evidence for the statements provided, I can share that a
local source (safari tour guide/ wildlife film-maker) kindly tells me
that there was no observed eruption from Lengai but that a "landslide"
in the crater was observed - possibly from fairly far away (no info on
this as yet...another hornito collapse ? as in March-April 2006 ?). The
same source suggested the "landslide" produced much dust and this was
mistaken for an ash plume in nearby villages.
One can only speculate that some local masai may have temporarily left
their homes thinking this was an explosive eruption, especially as the
apparent dust plume would be connected with the recent quake swarm in
their minds.
As the volcano is considered a mountain god by the local masai, it is
possible that local people are interpreting any tectonic or volcanic
event as a manifestation of the mountain - there may be confusion
between quakes and eruptions; quake damage or injuries and eruption
damage/injuries.
According to the same local source, no lava flows have been observed
from the foot of the volcano. So I cannot see how children who live many
kilometers from the volcano could have been burnt by lava for example.
There seems to be some really poor reporting going on in the media in
relation to these events thus far.
I am told by a colleague at U.Freiburg that geologists from the
University of Daar-es-Salaam are at Lengai now, assessing the situation.
We expect they will have clarified what is actually happening in the
coming days.
Gerald
(Gerald ERNST, UGhent, Belgium)
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From: Michael Dalton-Smith <michaelds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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Hi,
I am writing the list serve to clear up information surrounding the
susposed eruption of Lengai. It seems as once again people have rushed
to judgement on the eruption propigated further by the media.
Having checked several source who live close to Lengai in Tanzania, and
have visually seen the volcano, according to them, no eruption has
happen other then the usually small activity.
Below is an email from Markus Borner who is head scientist with the
Frankfurt Zooilogical Society in charge of Africa. He is based in the
central Serengeti (about 100km away) and flys over the volcano
regularly. He has lived there for over twenty years. This is his response.
> >Hi Michael,
> >I flew over Lengai three days ago. Nothing much happened, just the usual
> >activity. Seems press hype mostly. Did not make any pictures this time
> >sorry
> >Cheers Markus
My business partner Jean Du Plessis who lives in Arusha, and was around
Lengai during and after the earthquake swarm, also reported nothing out
of the ordnary. We have climbed Lengai serveral time and are familiar
with the volcano.
Keith Roberts head of Anti-Poaching for one of Tanzanias largest hunting
companies that controls the block around Lake Natron, he relayed this
message.
> >Hi There,
> >FYI, speaking to Keith who have people on Gelai, the mountain
looking down
> >on to Lengai; there was no eruption, it was actually a landslide
that kicked
> >up a lot of dust looking like an ash eruption. The crater is still
in tact
> >and there is no lava flows.
> >Kind regards,
> >Jean
I was with both Jean and Markus flying over lengai in Markus's plane
during the last event in March/April and was responsible for the photos
that were used by Fred Belton to determin there was no ash eruptions and
flow.
Recently I received and email from Fred Belton before he left on
holidays, and his sources also confirmed no eruption.
I think until there photos of both the crater and volcano we will not
have a clear picture. Although looking on a map, lengai does not seem to
far from civilization, but it seems that in fact it quit remote, and
getting news is difficult. Nobody in Arusha, nor the local media are
saying there was an eruption. The local community there includes
numerous pilot who fly daily over lengai on route to the Serengeti with
their clients. Lengai is well know by all.
Hope this helps clarify.
Cheers,
Michael Dalton-Smith
Filmmaker
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