Week 5

 Volcanoes 

Morocco is home to several extinct volcanoes, primarily dating back to the Pleistocene epoch. Notable examples include the Azrou volcanic field and Jbel Tamarrakoit in the Middle Atlas region. These ancient volcanic structures have been dormant for hundreds of thousands of years, with no recorded eruptions in recent geological history. 

Due to the long-standing inactivity of these volcanoes, Morocco does not currently implement specific volcanic monitoring or mitigation measures. Instead, the country's focus is on other natural hazards, such as earthquakes, which pose a more immediate risk. The closest active volcanic region to Morocco is the Canary Islands, located off the northwest coast of Africa. While the Canary Islands have experienced volcanic activity in recent times, their distance from the Moroccan mainland means that any direct impact on Morocco would be minimal.

In summary, the extinct status of Morocco's volcanoes negates the need for volcanic activity mitigation measures within the country. However, regional geological monitoring continues to ensure preparedness for other natural events that may affect the area.



A) Simplified map of Northern Morocco showing the principal structural... | Download Scientific DiagramCanary Island Volcano Off Morocco's Coast Engulfs More Houses

Comments

  1. Hailey RobareFebruary 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM

    Hi Kenza! I think that it is fascinating that those volcanoes have not been active for hundreds of thousands of years in Moracco. Unlike Moracco, Costa Rica has some dormant volcanoes among some that were active in the more recent years. However, the dormant ones were active in the 1910’s and 1960’s so definitely not as long as Moracco. It makes sense that due to the non-risk of volcanic activity that Moracco would not have mitigation measures in place for this specific hazard. However, with the very small risk of volcanic activity in the Canary Islands possibly having minimal effect, I wonder if they would have any measures in place to make sure the effects did remain minimal. I think it is also good that Moracco is proactive about having mitigation measures in place for other natural hazards that may occur there. Costa Rica, similarly, has many mitigation measures implemented for many different natural hazards.

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