Expect no eruption at world’s largest caldera —PHIVOLCS

The volcano that gave rise to the Apolaki caldera, the world's largest, poses no danger of erupting, PHIVOLCS director Renato Solidum said on Tuesday.

According to Chino Gaston's report on "24 Oras", Solidum said the volcano erupted millions of years ago.

"Sa tingin natin, mga 20 million years ang kanyang activity. Around 46 million years ago to 26 million years ago," Solidum said.

"Pero dahil ito ay matagal nang hindi sumasabog, hindi dapat mangamba ang ating mga kababayan diyan," he added.

Recently, Pinay marine geophysicist Jenny Anne Barretto and a team of two scientists discovered the Apolaki caldera in Benham Rise.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) describes a caldera as a large basin-shaped volcanic depression, caused by the collapse of the ground when large volumes of magma are expelled from a volcano's magma chamber.

According to Barretto, the Apolaki caldera was formed by an underwater volcano, and it has a diameter of 150 km.

That's equivalent to the distance from Quezon City to Paniqui, Tarlac, she said in the 24 Oras report.

Asked about the possibility of oil in the area where the caldera was found, Solidum said that it was impossible.

"For the area to be rich in oil, the volcano must be above water or there should be forests around," Solidum said, adding that the location where the caldera was discovered did not have any of those features. —Angelica Yang/NB, GMA News