ERTA ALE LAVA LAKE VOLCANO – Danakil Depression, Ethiopia


Hidden in the middle of Danakil Depression, Afar Region of Ethiopia – The Hottest Place in the World – stands 614 meters high volcano Erta Ale. What makes this volcano so extremely rare is Lava Lake hidden in the crater in the centre of volcano caldera.

Volcanoes with lava lakes are very rare: there are only six of them in the whole world. Erta Ale is the one which is permanently active during last 100 years.
Being to be by-product of Plate Tectonics of East Africa Erta Ale sits in Danakil Depression which is part of East African Rift – scar in Earth crust which is slowly tearing Africa apart. Three tectonic plates – Nubian Plate, Somalia Plate and Arabic Plate are moving apart in pace of 2.5 cm/year speed high enough to calculate that in 10 Million year Africa will loose its Horn of Africa which will become new continent in Indian Ocean.

As consequence of separation of the plates there is major depression/valley in North Part of Ethiopia’s Afar Region calls Afar Triangle. Earth crust is so thin in the area – which lays up to 150 below Sea level – that area is penetrated by number of volcanoes and is pronounced to major earthquakes.

Erta Ale – beside Nyiragongo in Democratic Republic of Congo – was for years high on my wish list of places which I have to visit. After 2012 my dream was shuttered and put on hold since number of tourists was killed on the edge of volcano as a result of long lasting dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea. However last year expeditions to Erta Ale resumed – this time under heavy military escorts - so I could realised my dream and visit Erta Ale in the end of 2015.

In usual case crater of Erta Ale Lava Lave has first terrace about 20 meters down in the crater and additional 20 meter down in the pit there is surface of Lava Lake. I was very fortunate to visit Erta Ale in one of its most active period in ages when level of the Lake was elevated all the way to the edge of the crater and was just less than 2 meters below level of overflow to the bottom of the Erta Ale caldera. Volcanic activities were enormous 24 hours every single day so there is no surprise that majority of my 3 days spend on Erta Ale were dedicated to observation of the lake.

Even everybody is aiming to see volcano in the night – since visual sensation is beside description – it is very difficult to make high quality pictures from night since contrast between darkness and hot lava boiling in up to 1,200 C is impossible to catch on camera. Day pictures are much more manageable.
Another advantage of Erta Ale is the fact that is located in Ethiopia where nobody will tell you what you can and can’t do by the volcano. So decision how close can I go to the volcano was resting entirely with me – and of course I went as closed as my camera could manage. Heat was unsustainable – but I would say picture and movies are quite OK.

First part of the movie “ERUPTING LAVA LAKE” was film mainly during the days and twilight, while second part “THE NIGHT SHOW” was filmed in the darkness. I hope you’ll enjoy both part as much as I enjoyed all 3 days on the top of this spectacular volcano!

Cheers
Jiri

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