Massive Pakistani earthquake pushes brand new 18 metre high island up from the sea

• The mountain-like island appeared 600m off Pakistan's Gwadar coast
• The earthquake triggered a movement of gases in the earth under the sea
• This pushed earth up to the surface in something akin to a 'mud volcano'
• Such land masses have appeared after quakes in Pakistan in 1999 and 2010
• Crowds of bewildered people gathered on Pakistan’s southern coast to witness the emergence of a new island created following a major earthquake in the region.
  The 7.8 magnitude quake struck 145 miles southeast of Dalbandin in Pakistan's quake-prone province of Baluchistan, which borders Iran, on Tuesday.
  The earthquake was so powerful that it caused the seabed to rise and create a small, mountain-like island about 600 meters off Pakistan's Gwadar coastline in the Arabian Sea
  Television channels showed images of a stretch of rocky terrain rising above the sea level, with crowds surrounding the shore to witness the rare phenomenon.
  Zahid Rafi, principal seismologist for the National Seismic Monitoring Center, said such masses are sometimes created by the movement of gases locked in the earth under the sea, pushing mud and earth up to the surface in something akin to a mud volcano.
  
  

  HOW THE ISLAND WAS FORMED

  

  Scientists believe the 7.8 magnitude earthquake, which struck 145 miles southeast of Dalbandin in Baluchistan, triggered what is known as 'mud volcano'.

  They occur where there is a reservoir of loosely compacted sediments buried beneath harder, denser rock and a path is made to the surface.

  The seismic waves caused a movement of gases locked in the earth under the sea, pushing mud and earth up to the surface along with gas. 

  These sudden islands are usually only spotted after strong earthquakes, at least 7- or 8-magnitude events.