Natural hazards from mud volcanoes: importance of understanding and acceptance by example of Azerbaijan

Mud volcanism is the unique global geological phenomenon generally expresses in transportation of clayey masses and rock fragments from the deep underground to the day surface via the feeder channels, mostly developed within the Alpine-Himalayan (Mediterranean) and the Pacific Ocean folded belts. Azerbaijan is considered as the world most concentration province hosting over 350 onshore and offshore mud volcanoes. Some of them can fall into the category of hazardous natural objects and characterized by expressive and catastrophic eruptions with belch, ground subsidence, cracks and faults formation and extensive flows of liquid mud and leading to destructive consequences.

According to The Federal Emergency Management Agency the natural hazards (earthquakes, floods, avalanches, landslides, tornados, tropical cyclones, etc.) represent the environmental phenomena potentially affecting the various societies and human life and property in particular, causing loss of lives and properties damage. The National Risk Index includes 18 types of the natural hazards, including magmatic volcanic activity. Unfortunately, mud volcanoes are not considered as the natural hazard in spite of recorded historical and modern evidences.

One of the most remarkable and destructive mud eruptions had occurred in 2006 in Java (Indonesia), known at present as "Lusi". The result of eruption were the mudflows eventually buried dwelling houses, private businesses, roads, communications and forced nearly 60,000 people to leave their homes. Another recent eruption had taken place in the southern Taiwan in 2024 in Wandan mud volcano with some flames of about 30 m and 50 m high that damaged nearby power cables so the electricity had been cut to prevent the further crucial problems in power system.

In Azerbaijan, a fair number of mud volcanoes erupting with gas ignition, great belches and thick mud flows. However, for the present study four remarkable mud volcanoes had been selected as the potential sources of the natural hazard affecting the environment and human life and activities. These mud volcanoes are Lokbatan, Shikhzarli, Kechaldag and Keyreki. As well as being often-erupting volcanoes (except Kechaldag) they locate in specific areas. So, Lokbatan locates within the operating oil field with relevant infrastructure while Shikhzarli lies in the vicinity of the village. Both of them erupt with gas ignition and great belch. The only eruption of Kechaldag mud volcano had affected the hydraulic constriction since it locates at the shore of Jeyranbatan water reservoir. Keyreki mud volcano is surrounded by dense development is unsafe to urban houses located in extreme vicinity

The mentioned cases in Azerbaijan and beyond demonstrate destructive and catastrophic nature of the geological phenomenon expressed in fire, thick mud flows, volcanic bombs, ground cracks, landslides and soil subsidence. All these concomitant effects can affect and damage the nearby territories. The chaotic residential development nearby these natural objects increases by several times the risk of negative effects and impacts upon the human in case of eruption. A special attention should be paid to infrastructure (residential and industrial) as well as the various types of communications laid and running at a short distance from a mud volcano.