Recurring Emergence of the Mud Islands on Shelf of the Arabian Sea along the Makran Coast of Pakistan – Historical Perspective Using Remote Sensing Techniques

Abstract

Recurring emergences of mud islands on shelf of the Arabian Sea, along the Makran coast of Pakistan are now known to be submarine mud volcanoes. They are expressions of enhanced extrusions of fluidized mud and gases coupled with compressional tectonics in convergent margin settings. Since 1945 the Malan island has emerged four times, and some other mud islands have also been emerging repeatedly, at their own positions. The first known emergence, during November 1945, was concurrent with an earthquake of magnitude 8.0 (M8.0), the 2ndand 3rdemergences, in March 1999 and November 2010 respectively, were not related apparently with earthquakes. The 4themergence concurred with the Awaran earthquake (M7.7) of 24thSeptember 2013. Landsat images of March 1999 and November 2010 emergences indicate appearance of round-shaped island of 4.4 and 5.2 hectare area, followed by erosion and disappearance. The island was composed of mud breccias and circular vents spewing mud slurry and methane gas. The emergence of Malan island, in March 1999 and November 2010 was compared with earthquake data before and after the emergences. The earthquakes data, two years before March 1999 and November 2010 emergences and two years afterwards, shows correlation with both small and large earthquakes, prior to the emergence, in the radius of over 400 km. It is proposed that mud islands develop in response to the episodes of enhanced mud extrusion, which inturn are related with the enhanced compressional and/or seismic events. These events are followed by periods of relative quiescence characterized by normal activity of mud extrusion and marine erosion.

Earthquakes and tsunamis caused by low-angle normal faulting in the Banda Sea, Indonesia

“…Felt reports from eastern Java previously ascribed to this event 1,21 appeared to imply an enormous felt area, but these observations are more likely associated with a Mw 5.7-6.0 earthquake on the Pasuruan Fault in eastern Java 27 . Similarly, the emergence of a small island in the Kai Archipelago observed in 1853 was thought to indicate coseismic displacement in the rupture area of the 1852 earthquake 1,21 , but we interpret this observation to be a mud volcano eruption, which are prevalent in the Kai Islands 28 and can be triggered by earthquakes even at great distance 29 . We therefore discount the Kai Islands mud volcano as indicative of the rupture area of the 1852 earthquake.…”

Myth-Busting: Was Pulau Tiga Really First Created by a Mud Volcano Eruption in 1897?

“…When these paroxysmal eruptions occur in a submarine mud volcano located in shallow waters, enough material can be erupted in a very brief period of time (minutes to hours) to push the mud volcano above the water's surface and create a new island. This has famously occurred offshore Pakistan several times, such as the formation of a new mud volcano island, Zalzala Koh, offshore Gwadar in 2013 (Bonini et al, 2016;Kassi et al, 2017). The low cohesion material erupted from mud volcanoes means that most such islands are quickly eroded away by wave action over just months or a few years, with Zalzala Koh disappearing after approximately three years (Voiland, 2019).…”

“…The low cohesion material erupted from mud volcanoes means that most such islands are quickly eroded away by wave action over just months or a few years, with Zalzala Koh disappearing after approximately three years (Voiland, 2019). These suddenly born and then disappearing mud volcano islands can even reappear at later dates when new paroxysmal eruptions occur, such as Malan Island off Pakistan appearing for brief periods in 1945, 2010and 2013(Kassi et al, 2017. Damaquiel mud volcano island appeared offshore Colombia on the 18th October 1992 after an earthquake and has reportedly appeared 15 times, most recently in June 2023 (Mosquera-Machado et al, 2009).…”

“…The description given by Mr. Hewitt clearly depicts the characteristics seen in other newly formed mud volcano islands following a paroxysmal eruption. Features such as raised seabed, a mud cone, flammable gas emissions, soft and muddy material, striated surfaces and surface cracking are all commonly seen in other new mud volcano islands, such as on Pulau Batu Hairan, Zalzala Koh and Malan Island (Tongkul, 1988, Lee, 1990, Kassi et al, 2017. The article also reports the location of the island as being "between Mempakol and Lumbidan", "Lumbidan" is presently known as Kampong Lambidan, and is on the western coast in the southern Klias Peninsula (approximately 5.4°N, 115.38°E).…”