Rising sea levels could reduce risk of volcanic eruptions, say researchers

They found that a 130ft fall in sea level was a “critical point” beyond which eruptions were more likely to occur

The cliffs of the volcanic island of Santorini, which show the layers of deposits from past volcanic eruptions (Dr Ralf Gertisser/Keele University/PA)

Rising sea levels caused by global warming could reduce the risk of eruptions on volcanic islands and coastal areas, according to research.

Researchers from the universities of Portsmouth and Oxford Brookes, examined the timings of eruptions over hundreds of thousands of years on the Greek island of Santorini in relation to sea level changes.