There are a number of volcanoes in Pakistan. You may have heard of Tor Zawar, Chandragup, Jebel-ul-Ghurab, or Bazman. These volcanoes are active and can be seen from many parts of the country. You may also want to see a ground level mud volcano near Gwadar.
Tor Zawar
The Tor Zawar Volcano is a fissure vent volcano located in west-central Pakistan. It is the only active volcano in the country. In January 2010, the Tor Zawar volcano had an eruption that was both magmatic and triggered by lightning. A small fissure eruption formed a scoria cone and scatter cone, and an 8.2-meter-long lava flow. This volcano is the only active one in the country in recent history.
Although the volcano’s present activity has not been large in scale, the geological data suggest a large rupture beneath the surface. This active seismicity and tectonic activity has added a new threat to the scenic valley. Although small eruptions may still occur, future activity can be predicted. Seismic devices are used to record lava tremors and strain meters are used to monitor local deformation.
The Tor Zawar volcano has undergone one eruption since 2010. A scoria cone and a small lava flow formed. The eruption was linked to intra-plate processes and has been studied extensively by the Geological Survey of Pakistan. The volcano is located in the province of Baluchistan.
The eruption of the volcano occurred on January 29, 2010. It was triggered by an earthquake that occurred 60 km beneath the surface. The eruption produced a spatter cone and 8.2-metre-long lava flow, which caused minor damage but did not reach the water surface. Its origin is still debated.
Chandragup
The Chandragup Volcano in Pakistan is a popular site for Hindu pilgrims. It is a mud volcano located off the coast of Pakistan. Many Hindu pilgrims come to the site to fulfill their wishes. They hike up to the foothill of the volcano to pray, and then spend the night there. Some people also come to the site for healing. There have been several cases of people getting physical cures from the mountain’s mud. But the real purpose of the journey is to purify the soul.
The mud volcano in Pakistan was formed during the May 31, 1935, earthquake in Balochistan. The earthquake caused mud to spout for nine hours. The mud volcano is visible on the horizon in the photo to the right. It has been a popular tourist attraction ever since.
Located in Balochistan, Pakistan, the Chandragup Volcano contains huge deposits of methane in solid form, called methane hydrates. Access to the mountain is difficult and requires a 4×4 vehicle. Visitors must be careful while visiting the site, as sand flies will attack them if their skin is exposed.
Jebel-ul-Ghurab
Jebel-ul-Ghurab, a volcanic mud mountain, is located in the Balochistan region of Pakistan. Volcanos are a natural phenomenon that occur when magma rises to the surface. They are also known as mud volcanoes.
There are two types of Pakistan volcanoes: mud volcanoes and fissure vent volcanoes. Mud volcanoes include those in Balochistan, Malan Island, Chandragup, and Hingol. The mud volcanoes are a popular attraction for tourists because of their unique landscape. These volcanic features often resemble small islands in the Arabian Sea.
Mud volcanoes have been known since 1840, but progress in studying them has been slow. After the 1945 earthquake in Pakistan, interest in these volcanoes increased. Mud volcanoes are formed from highly viscous mud with a high gas content. They rise and fall based on buoyancy forces. Marine cruises off the coast of Pakistan intensified studies of mud volcanoes. Gas seeps were also identified in shallow seas, suggesting that these mud volcanoes may contain gas.
Bazman
The Bazman Volcano is a Late Quaternary stratovolcano in eastern Iran. It has a classic cone shape, similar to that of a bicycle wheel, and heavily dissected channels. These channels are often symmetric, and they are characterized by an even distribution of water runoff. This reflects an eruptive process that lasted for several million years.
The Bazman Volcano is located on the Chgay-Makran magmatic arc, which is an east-west trending region that stretches from southeastern Iran to southwestern Pakistan. The Makran zone is characterized by turbidite sediments on oceanic crust, and the Bazman zone extends northward from the Makran subduction zone. It has experienced both explosive and non-explosive eruptions during the Quaternary. In this paper, we investigate the chemistry of mafic minerals and their thermobarometry in this volcano.
The Chahnaly low-sulfidation epithermal Au deposit is located near the Bazman stratovolcano. It is associated with several Au prospects, including the world-class Reko Diq Cu-Au porphyry deposit. The area surrounding the Bazman volcano is also home to the Siah Jangal low-sulfidation epi-thermal Au deposit.
Near the Bazman Volcano is the Makran Trench, a subduction zone along the northeastern margin of the Gulf of Oman. This region includes the Balochistan region in Pakistan and the southeastern part of Iran. The subduction zone is occurring between the Arabian Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
Taftan
The Taftan Volcano is an active stratovolcano in south-eastern Iran. It is located in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan and rises to about 4,000 metres above sea level. It is the highest mountain in south-eastern Iran, and is the closest to the Khash mountain range.
The Taftan Volcano is part of a volcanic arc that extends from Iran to Pakistan. This arc was formed over sedimentary layers that date from the Cretaceous and Eocene ages. It resulted from the subduction of the oceanic Arabian plate under Iran.
Taftan Volcano is located in SE Iran and extends into northern Pakistan. It has two summits, with the higher SE cone containing sulfur fumaroles. It is the only active volcano in the Makran continental volcanic arc, and has several sulfur-rich fumaroles. The Taftan Volcano is also part of the Makran subduction zone.
The Taftan volcano contains several necks and is associated with the 3,500 m-high stratovolcano Buzman. In 1993, there was a report of a lava flow, but it turned out to be a sulfur flow. The Islamic Republic News Agency reported that the flow traveled 60 m downslope on 25 April 1993. The report did not contain any other details. The volcano was also reported to be smoking heavily in January 1902. There were also reports of a strong nighttime glow at night.
Taftan is easy to access by road. There are several high-altitude roads that cross its flanks. One of these roads crosses the northwest portion of the central cone.
