Explosive Activity Continues at Sheveluch Volcano

Sheveluch ejects a 10-km column of ash into air

Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team has posted the following report on its website:

Explosive-extrusive eruption of the volcano continues. Ash explosions up to 32,800 ft (10 km) a.s.l. could occur at any time. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

A growth of the lava dome continues (a viscous lava flow effuse on the northern its flank), fumarolic activity and an incandescence of the dome blocks and hot avalanches accompanies this process. Strong explosive events occurred on March 20, 22 and 25: ash clouds rose up to 7-10 km a.s.l. Satellite data showed: ash plumes drifted more 600 km to the north, east, and south-east and south of the volcano on March 20-22 and 25-26; a thermal anomaly was noting over the lava dome all week.
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/volc.php?lang=en&name=Sheveluch

SHEVELUCH VOLCANO (CAVW #300270)
56.64 N, 161.32 E; Elevation 10,768 ft (3,283 m), the dome elevation ~8,200 ft (2,500 m)
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Kamchatca Volcanoes
Real-time seismic data (from the Kamchatkan Branch of Geophysical Survey RAS: http:www.emsd.ru)

Aviation color codes:
SHEVELUCH, KARYMSKY, ZHUPANOVSKY: ORANGE
KLYUCHEVSKOY, BEZYMIANNY: YELLOW

Strong Quakes Strike ENE of Hihifo, Tonga

Strong quakes occur SW of Apia, Samoa

The quakes may have signaled the start of a new phase of heightened seismicity in the Pacific Ring of Fire, according to FIRE-EARTH models.

EQ Details [USGS/EHP]

M6.5;  99km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 2015-03-30 at 08:48:26 UTC,  depth=15.5 km
[99km (62mi) ENE of Hihifo, Tonga; 224km (139mi) SW of Apia, Samoa]
M6.4; 109km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 2015-03-30 08:18:00 UTCd depth=11.5 km
[109km (68mi) NE of Hihifo, Tonga]
M5.6; 90km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 2015-03-30 07:56:54 UTCd depth=10.0 km

Tsunami Evaluation

NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI SAID:
BASED ON ALL AVAILABLE DATA A DESTRUCTIVE PACIFIC-WIDE TSUNAMI IS
NOT EXPECTED.

Other Significant Seismicity

M4.9; 88km S of Taron, Papua New Guinea 2015-03-30 11:43:21 UTC 35.0 km
M4.8; 69km SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 2015-03-30 11:23:11 UTC 72.6 km
M5.5; 179km SSE of Amsterdam Island, France 2015-03-30 10:34:53 UTC 10.0 km
4.0; 12km NW of Ludlow, California 2015-03-30 09:21:56 UTC 2.5 km
M6.5 See above.
5.3; 42km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea 2015-03-30 08:31:47 UTC 35.0 km
M6.4 See above.
M5.6 See above.

Related Links

• Powerful Quake Strikes PNG March 30, 2015

Powerful Quake Strikes PNG

M7.5 quake rattles New Ireland Region

Centered at 4.760°S, 152.556°E the quake occurred  at a depth of depth of 40.0 km, USGE/EHP reported.

Tsunami Evaluation
Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 1,000 km of the earthquake epicenter, said PTWC in its initial evaluation.

The hazard regions include Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Solomon Islands.

However, the tsunami threat had largely passed, as of posting.

TSUNAMI OBSERVATIONS
--------------------
  * THE FOLLOWING ARE TSUNAMI WAVE OBSERVATIONS FROM COASTAL
    AND/OR DEEP-OCEAN SEA LEVEL GAUGES AT THE INDICATED LOCATIONS.
    THE MAXIMUM TSUNAMI HEIGHT IS MEASURED WITH RESPECT TO THE
    NORMAL TIDE LEVEL.
                            GAUGE      TIME OF   MAXIMUM     WAVE
                         COORDINATES   MEASURE   TSUNAMI   PERIOD
    GAUGE LOCATION        LAT   LON     (UTC)     HEIGHT    (MIN)
    -------------------------------------------------------------
    TAREKUKURE WHARF SB   6.7S 156.4E    0159   0.03M/ 0.1FT  32

NOTE TIDE GAUGE AT TAREKUKURE WHARF IS 450 KM FROM THE EPICENTER.

Earthquake Details
Magnitude: 7.5Mw (USGS/EHP)
Time: 2015-03-29 23:48:31 UTC
Location: 4.760°S, 152.556°E
Depth: 40.0 km

Distances:

• 55km (34mi) SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
• 787km (489mi) NE of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Aftershocks: The main event was followed by at least 3 significant aftershocks as of posting.

• M4.8; 56km S of Taron, Papua New Guinea 2015-03-30 01:51:26 UTC 53.8 km
• M5.0; 78km SSW of Taron, Papua New Guinea 2015-03-30 00:43:13 UTC 35.0 km
• M5.7; 91km SSW of Taron, Papua New Guinea 2015-03-30 00:15:30 UTC 35.0 km

Other recent significant quakes

• M4.7; 94km S of Taron, Papua New Guinea 2015-03-30 02:23:21 UTC 35.0 km
• M5.0; 144km W of Ile Hunter, New Caledonia 2015-03-30 02:12:47 UTC 54.4 km
• M4.7; Kuril Islands 2015-03-30 02:05:12 UTC 45.5 km
• M4.8; 25km S of Garcia Hernandez, Philippines 2015-03-30 01:47:57 UTC 35.0 km
• M5.4; 29km NW of Qimeng, China 2015-03-30 01:47:35 UTC 14.6 km
• M4.9; 158km NNE of Bitung, Indonesia 2015-03-29 14:35:38 UTC 81.4 km
• M5.6; 139km NW of Kota Ternate, Indonesia 2015-03-29 07:50:53 UTC 38.5 km
• M5.8; 40km WSW of Tilamuta, Indonesia 2015-03-28 22:28:51 UTC 123.9 km
• M5.6; 49km NE of Calama, Chile 2015-03-28 16:36:54 UTC 112.0 km