China closes volcano park over fears Kim Jong-un’s nuclear weapons tests will spark huge eruption
Mount Paektu - on the border with North Korea - is responsible for one of the most powerful eruptions in history and scientists fear it could blow at any moment
SCIENTISTS fear a volcano on China's border with North Korea could erupt at any moment after being triggered into life by Kim Jong-un’s nuclear missile tests.
Mount Paektu is responsible for one of the most powerful eruptions in human history - and now scientists fear it could blow once more.
Officials in China have now closed the popular national park next to the volcano to keep the public safe,
Nuclear tests from North Korea have triggered tremors in the 70-square-mile Changbaishan National Nature Reserve which neighbours the volcano.
The Chinese authorities said: “For the safety and convenience of travellers, we have temporarily closed the southern tourist zone of Changbai Mountain.
“Officials are thoroughly investigating the safety of the tourist area. The area will remain closed to the public until the potential risks disappear.”
Mount Paektu once underwent one of the most devastating eruptions in history in 946AD producing enough ash to shower Japan almost 680 miles away.
A team of scientists from South Korea has warned nuclear tests from Kim Jong-Un’s nation could trigger another mighty eruption.
The team, led by Hong Tae-kyung, a professor in the Department of Earth System Sciences at Yonsei University, examined the impact nuclear testing has on seismic activity.
His report reads: "North Korean nuclear explosions are expected to produce pressure changes of tens to hundreds of kilopascals, causing concern over the possible triggering of a volcanic eruption.”
World leaders rounded on "maniacal" Kim earlier this month after the North Korean tyrant detonated a nuclear bomb twice the size of Hiroshima.
Announcing the country's fifth and largest nuke test to date, regime-run television claimed the country could now produce warheads "any time we desire".
Neighbouring South Korea stated this morning it believes this is the North's biggest nuke test to date - reportedly twice the size of that which levelled Hiroshima
"We successfully conducted a nuclear explosion test to determine the power of [the] nuclear warhead," a female anchor announced on state television.
"We will continue to strengthen our nuclear capabilities to protect our sovereignty. We have now standardised and minimised nuclear warheads ... We can now produce small nuclear warheads any time we desire."
South Korean President Park Geun-hye called it an act of "self-destruction" which showed the "maniacal recklessness" of leader Kim.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: “These reports are of grave concern. The United Kingdom strongly condemns North Korea for conducting a further nuclear test, which is a flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolutions and a threat to regional peace and stability.
"Together with the Australian Foreign Minister I have spoken this morning to the Japanese Foreign Minister, and the UK will be consulting other international partners on a robust response.”
The test was first detected as a 5.3 magnitude artificial earthquake close to the North's known nuclear test site.
Analysts fear it could be a step closer to having a useable nuclear weapon.
An analyst from the Californian-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies estimated the device had a 20 to 30 kilotonne yield, which would make it North Korea's largest nuke test yet and up to twice the size of the 15 kilotonne blast which rocked Hiroshima
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