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Current volcanic activity shows a record number of newly active or erupting volcanoes.

5 in 95
10 in 96
19 in 97
20 in 98
12 already in 99 as of March 20, 1999

Offered by Liela. 

Just thought I would update you on some news that I've just 
come across. It involves the number of earthquakes and volcanic 
eruptions we've been seeing lately. I'm not intending to provoke 
any alarm, but they really do seem to be on the increase. Could 
we be seeing the initial phases of the polar shift, and a new 
cycle in the Earth? The US Geological Survey reports that for 
the period of January 1 though July 10 of 1999, the Earth had 
16 quakes of a 6.0 or greater magnitude. In that same period of 
2000, by comparison, we had 28 quakes of 6.0+ magnitude. (This 
does not count the three that have occurred from last Sunday to 
Wednesday.) As you can see, there's been a sharp increase in quake 
activity - nearly double - and it has gone unreported in the press.
Volcanic activity seems to be up too, also doubled. I don't have 
quite as good a resource for this information as the USGS, but the
site I referenced is at least supported by NASA. According to the 
information posted on this website, we have the following upward 
trend occurring over the last five years.
   Year   # Eruptions
   1996   10
   1997   13
   1998   16
   1999   14
   2000   26 - so far (as of Aug 10, 2000)
   
As I understand it, this is counting only eruptions that have 
begun in a particular year, not ones that have continued through 
multiple years. The site I used for the volcano info is:
   http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/current_volcs/current.html 
If anyone out there has a better, more authoritative source, please 
let me know - I'd like to have an accurate count.
   Scott Grady

Volcano Eruption Data
Southwest Volcano Research Centre, Apache Junction, Arizona USA
Compiled by R.B. Trombley, Ph. D, Principal Research Volcanologist

Number of Volcanoes Erupted in Past 11 years (data does not include submarine volcanoes)

1989=46, 1990=32, 1991=40, 1992=50,
1993=44, 1994=44, 1995=45, 1996=35,
1997=33, 1998=36, 1999=48, 2000=51 (so far*)

*Last count made3 on October 9, 2000

I thought you all might like to see the volcanic activity (eruptions and activity) for the last 6 years. The Chart I am referring to does not go back any further.

1995 - 4
1996 - 9
1997 - 13
1998 - 13
1999 - 11
2000 - 22
2001 - 23 (YTD as of August 13, 2001)

Offered by Kevin.

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