Strong Earthquake Strikes Off the Coast of Colima, Mexico

M6.2 earthquake strikes SSW of San Patricio, Mexico

Centered at 18.412°N, 105.188°W (115.0 km SW of Manzanillo, Mexico) the quake struck at a depth of 10.0 km, USGS/EHP reported.

The main shock struck about 190km SW of Volcán de Colima (19.513, -103.617). Colima is one of the 16 Decade Volcanoes.

The event was followed by at least two significant aftershocks, as of posting.

Latest Seismicity

M4.6 ~ 156km SSW of San Patricio, Mexico 2016-06-07 11:07:05 UTC 10.0 km
M5.5 ~ 93km SSW of San Patricio, Mexico 2016-06-07 10:58:01 UTC 10.0 km
M6.2 ~ 102km SSW of San Patricio, Mexico 2016-06-07 10:51:38 UTC 10.0 km
M4.1  ~ 30km SW of San Patricio, Mexico 2016-06-07 10:32:14 UTC 10.0 km

Excerpt from Seismotectonics of Mexico [USGS]

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos (“smoking mountain” and “white lady”, respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010.

 

Angry Volcanoes Spewing Fire

GLOBAL VOLCANIC HAZARDS
SCENARIOS 989, 787, 786, 707, 703, 700, [500,] 08, 07, 02
.

New/ongoing volcanic activity/unrest at 24 volcanoes across the globe

Guatemala’s Fuego volcano spews ash forcing closure of international airport

Fuego volcano [Volcán de Fuego, or “Volcano of Fire,”] located about 40 km southwest of Guatemalan capital, spewed ash into the air on Saturday, prompting the authorities to evacuate a nearby community and forcing the closure of the capital’s international airport.

At least a dozen flights were cancelled after the main airport in the capital Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción, aka Guatemala City, was shut down.

On September 13, 2012 the 3,763-meter-high volcano erupted forcing the authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of people from 20 or so villages near the mountain.

Latest Volcanic Activity/Unrest

• Kīlauea Volcano, Hawaii
  Kīlauea continues to erupt at its summit and from its East Rift Zone. The June 27th lava flow remains about 500 m (~550 yd) from Highway 130 in the area west of the Pāhoa Fire and Police Stations. The flow has not advanced downslope in more than a week, but many breakouts are active upslope, said HVO. Code: ORANGE.

• Shishaldin Volcano, Alaska
  Elevated surface temperatures at the summit were observed in satellite data on Friday through Saturday. “Web camera images showed intermittent, minor steam emissions. Low-level eruptive activity confined to the summit crater of the volcano likely continues. Seismicity remains above background levels and tremor persists,” said AVO.  Code: ORANGE

• Piton de la Fournaise, island of La Reunion in Indian Ocean (France)
  “Peak of the Furnace” in the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion erupted on February 4, 2015. The previous significant eruption, which lasted for two days, began on December 9, 2010.

Piton de la Fournaise volcano, aka,“Peak of the Furnace,” a shield volcano on the eastern side of (France-administered) Réunion island in the Indian Ocean erupts, February 5, 2015. (Photo Source: chinanews.com). More images…

• Colima Volcano, Mexico
  Eruptions and lava flow reported since January 29, 2015.

• Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy
  Latest eruptive episode began on 31 December, 2014.

• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka, Russia
  Explosive eruptions at Karymsky continued into late January/early February, with ash plumes rising  to heights of about 4 km above the crater.

• Klyuchevskoy, Central Kamchatka, Russia
  Strombolian and Vulcanian eruptions at Klyuchevskoy continued into late January/ early February with ash plumes rising to a height of about 8km a.s.l.

• Pacaya, Guatemala
  Ash emissions reported by INSIVUMEH starting late January.
  

• Ruapehu, North Island, NZ
  Water temperatures at Ruapehu’s summit Crater Lake have been increasing from about 15C to 40C since late December, said Geonet. The company also reported increased levels of volcanic gas emissions through the lake, which is changing color from blue-green to gray due to convection.

• Soputan, Sulawesi,  Indonesia
  The volcano spewed an ash plume to an altitude of more than 6 km (20,000 ft) on February 2, 2015.

For a list of the ongoing eruption/unrest at 13 other volcanoes see weekly reports HERE.

Volcano Watch No. 44

Erta Ale Erupted

Update: Nov 7, 2008 – According to the latest news bulletins, the eruption in the Erta Ale, Africa’s largest in historic times,  was due to a fissure between Alu and Dalaffilla volcanoes.

Erta Ale, an active shield volcano located in the Afar Region of northeastern Ethiopia [located some 600 km from Addis Ababa,] is Ethiopia’s only active volcano. Eye witnesses said the volcano erupted late Monday. Satellite photos show the lava had covered about 300 sq km, a record area.

The volcano  stands 613 meters tall, with a lava lake, one of only four in the world, at the summit. It is notable for being the longest existing lava lake, present since the early years of the twentieth century. It is located in the Danakil Depression, a desert area bordering Eritrea. The area is described as one of the hottest places on earth famed for its salt mines.

Erta Ale’s last major eruption in 2005 forced thousands of nearby residents to flee. Additional lava flow activity took place in August 2007, forcing the evacuation of hundreds and leaving two missing.

Erta Ale, Alu, Tat Ali and other Ethiopian highlands are together known as the Danakil Alps. (Sources: Addis Ababa University, various academic and news organizations, Wikipedia).

Erta Ale, an active shield volcano located in the Afar Region [northeastern] of Ethiopia in the Danakil Desert, is Ethiopia’s only active volcano. License: cc-by-sa-2.0. Credit: posted to Flickr by filippo_jean.

29 October – 4 November 2008

New Activity/Unrest:

• Chaitén, Southern Chile
• Colima, México
• Galeras, Colombia
• Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Nevado del Huila, Colombia

Ongoing Activity:

• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka
• Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
• Masaya, Nicaragua
• Pacaya, Guatemala
• Piton de la Fournaise, Reunion Island
• Popocatépetl, México
• Rabaul, New Britain
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat
• Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)
• Tungurahua, Ecuador
• Ubinas, Perú

This Weekly Volcanic Activity Report summary is a cooperative project between the Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey’s Volcano Hazards Program.

Week 33 Volcano Watch

13 August-19 August 2008

New Activity/Unrest:

• Asama, Honshu
• Bezymianny, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Kasatochi, Andreanof Islands
• Piton de la Fournaise, Reunion Island
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat

Piton de la Fournaise. The massive Piton de la Fournaise on the island of Réunion is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It is seen here in 1977 with a fresh black lava flow descending the outer NE flank of the shield volcano to the sea. An unvegetated summit lava shield (upper left) was constructed within an 8-km-wide caldera that is breached to the sea. Its sloping northern rim is marked by the diagonal vegetation line at the left. More than 150 eruptions have occurred since the 17th century, mostly from vents within the caldera. (Caption:Global Volcanism Program ). Copyrighted photo by Katia and Maurice Krafft, 1977 (published in SEAN Bulletin, 1977).

Ongoing Activity:

• Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
• Chaitén, Southern Chile
• Chikurachki, Paramushir Island
• Cleveland, Chuginadak Island
• Colima, México
• Dukono, Halmahera
• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka
• Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
• Krakatau, Indonesia
• Llaima, Central Chile
• Manam, Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific)
• Masaya, Nicaragua
• Okmok, Fox Islands
• Rabaul, New Britain
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Ubinas, Perú

The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is a cooperative project between the Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey’s Volcano Hazards Program. This page is updated on Wednesdays, please see the GVP Home Page for news of the latest significant activity.