MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan's army flew a team of geologists to an isolated northwestern valley Tuesday to investigate reports by anxious villagers of possible volcanic activity in the quake-shattered Himalayan foothills, a government official said. An official from Pakistan's meteorological department said there was little chance of volcanic activity as the country has no recent history of eruptions. | But does it have any past history, I don't think there is in this area |
Nevertheless, a two-man team left for the Alai Valley to investigate the villagers' claim, said chief army spokesman Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan. The valley is at an elevation of about 6,000 feet, surrounded by mountains as high as 10,000 feet. Army helicopters flew over the rugged region of North West Frontier Province on Monday and found no immediate signs of an eruption, Sultan said.
Sultan speculated that aftershocks from the massive Oct. 8 quake and subsequent landslides kicking up dust could cause the terrified villagers to mistakenly believe that volcanic activity is occurring.
| Could be numerous secondaries from arms caches. Call in the RAB, they've got experience in locating them. |
An estimated 3.3 million people have already been left homeless by the quake, which killed about 80,000 people.