Incredibly detailed satellite images show volcano's collapse after volcanic tsunami

A bay can be seen where the volcano’s cone once stood.
 By 
Johnny Lieu
 on 
Incredibly detailed satellite images show volcano's collapse after volcanic tsunami
Images show the aftermath of the Anak Krakatau volcano. Credit: Ed Wray/Getty Images

Two weeks ago, a deadly volcanic tsunami struck in Indonesia's Sunda Strait, catching residents by surprise.

Clouds have obscured people from photographing the aftermath, but earth observation company Planet Labs managed to capture high resolution images of the Anak Krakatau volcano.

The volcano's cone collapsed and triggered a landslide underwater on Dec. 22, leading to huge waves that weren't detected by tsunami warning systems.

As noted by the American Geophysical Union, the pictures show how much the volcano has changed after the disaster, where a bay has formed from the collapse, along with high levels of sediment in the water surrounding the island.

The first image is from Dec. 17, before the volcano's collapse, while the second image is from Dec. 30, after the landslide.

Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Left: Image captured on Dec. 17. Credit: Planet Labs Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable
Right: Image captured on Dec. 30. Credit: Planet Labs Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

A final image captured by Planet Labs' SkySat on Jan. 2 shows a much closer look at the bay that's formed, showing the elevation's reduction from 338 metres (1,108 feet) to 110 metres (360 feet).

Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The Sunda Strait tsunami has claimed at least 438 lives along the coasts of the Java and Sumatra islands, with around 2,700 homes damaged from the disaster.

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Johnny Lieu

Mashable Australia's Web Culture Reporter.Reach out to me on Twitter at @Johnny_Lieu or via email at jlieu [at] mashable.com

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