The eruption of Mt. Baekdu volcano would likely cause severe flood damage, engulfing roads and homes within a 30 kilometer-radius in just 3 hours and 20 minutes, a report found on Monday.

According to the report by the National Emergency Management Agency, presented to Rep. Lee Myung-soo, damage by the flood would be extreme because about 2 billion tons of water on the top of Mt. Baekdu would be expected to pour off and sweep villages including the birthplace of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in Yanggang province.

The report is based on the volcanic explosivity index, or VEI. The severity of an eruption of Mt. Baekdu could be six, which is 10 times more powerful than the recent eruption of the volcano in Iceland, the report said.

The eruption would also throw up a 25 kilometer-high plume of ash and smoke into the air. It would disrupt air traffic across central Asia including China and Russia, causing serious economic loss to countries nearby, it added.

(Herald Online)