Angry Volcanoes Spewing Fire

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

Volcanoes in a Dozen Global Regions Erupting

Angry Pavlof continues to belch out ash, gas and steam

PAVLOF VOLCANO (CAVW #1102-03-)
55°25’2″ N 161°53’37” W, Summit Elevation 8261 ft (2518 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Ash, gas and steam emissions continue at Pavlof Volcano, as  seismic tremors and intense elevated surface temperatures persist, AVO reported.

Pavlof volcano eruption column, May 18, 2013 (12:00am AKDT). Photo courtesy Theo Chesley/AVO.

Other Alaska Volcanoes

CLEVELAND VOLCANO (CAVW #1101-24-)
52°49’20” N 169°56’42” W, Summit Elevation 5676 ft (1730 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Elevated surface temperatures at the summit of Cleveland Volcano were observed in satellite images Saturday morning AKDT, AVO reported.

Hawaii Volcanoes

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-01-)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Activity Summary: At the summit, tiltmeters recorded the start of DI inflationary tilt and the lava lake level rose. At Pu`u `O`o vent in the middle east rift zone, there was no new activity within the crater but the Kahauale`a II lava flow remained active on the north base of the cone. To the southeast, the Peace Day pali flow remained active on the coastal plain while the main flow branch continued to enter the ocean in at least 2 locations spanning the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park boundary. Gas emissions remained elevated. (HVO)

Recent Observations at the middle east rift zone vents: Only glow was seen from the east lava pond and spatter cones on the crater floor. The tiltmeter on the north flank of Pu`u `O`o cone recorded the start of DI inflationary tilt at 8 pm yesterday. GPS receivers on the north rim and south base of Pu`u `O`o cone recorded neither extension nor contraction since May 12. The most recent (preliminary) sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 300 tonnes/day on April 26, 2013, from all east rift zone sources; these values have ranged between 150 and 450 t/d in 2013; these measurements are made at a greater distance from the sources where the plume is more easily characterized.

New Activity/Unrest
[Source: AVO, HVO, GVP and others]

• Cleveland, Chuginadak Island (ALASKA)
• Copahue, Central Chile-Argentina border
• Dieng Volcanic Complex, Central Java (Indonesia)
• Guntur, Western Java (Indonesia)
• Mayon, Luzon (Philippines)
• Pavlof, Alaska Peninsula
• Popocatépetl, México
• Tungurahua, Ecuador

Ongoing Activity

• Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
• Kizimen, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)
• Karymsky, Kamchatka (Russia)
• Paluweh, Lesser Sunda Islands (Indonesia)
• Reventador, Ecuador
• Sabancaya, Perú
• Sakura-jima, Kyushu (Japan)
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Tolbachik, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Bezymianny, Kamchatka (Russia) YELLOW
• Gorely Volcano  YELLOW

VONA/KVERT DAILY REPORT – May 17, 2013
Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity

SHEVELUCH VOLCANO (CAVW #1000-27-)
56.64 N, 161.32 E; Elevation 10768 ft (3,283 m), the dome elevation ~8200 ft (2500 m)
Aviation Color Code is ORANGE

Moderate seismic activity continues at the volcano. Video images showed a moderate gas-steam eruption and incandescence above the lava dome. Satellite data showed a thermal anomaly over the volcano.

PLOSKY TOLBACHIK VOLCANO (CAVW #1000-24-)
55.83 N, 160.39 E; Elevation 10119 ft (3085 m)
Aviation Color Code is ORANGE

Strong seismicity occurring at the volcano. The amplitude of volcanic tremor was up to 3.2 mcm/s. Explosive-effusive eruption continues: lava continues to effuse from the Southern fissure on Tolbachinsky Dol. A thermal anomaly was noted on satellite images at the northern area of Tolbachinsky Dol.

KIZIMEN VOLCANO (CAVW #1000-23-)
55.13 N, 160.32 E; Elevation 8151 ft (2485 m)
Aviation Color Code is ORANGE

Moderate seismic activity continues at Kizimen. Video images  showed growth of an extrusion at the volcano summit continues. Incandescence of the volcano summit, hot avalanches on the western and eastern volcanic flanks, and strong and moderate gas-steam activity accompany this process. Satellite data showed the volcano was obscured by clouds.

KARYMSKY VOLCANO (CAVW #1000-13-)
54.05 N, 159.44 E; Elevation 4874 ft (1486 m)
Aviation Color Code is ORANGE

There was no seismic data due to technical reasons. Satellite images  were obscured by clouds.

BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO (CAVW #1000-25-)
55.97 N, 160.6 E; Elevation 9453 ft (2882 m)
Aviation Color Code is YELLOW

Strong seismic activity at Tolbachinsky Dol obscured seismicity of Bezymianny. WebCam images obscured by clouds.  Satellite data showed a thermal anomaly over the volcano.

GORELY VOLCANO (CAVW #1000-07-)
52.56 N, 158.03 E; Elevation 5996 ft (1828 m)
Aviation Color Code is YELLOW

Moderate seismic activity continues at Gorely. Volcano was obscured by clouds.

Related Links

• Pavlof and Cleveland Volcanoes Continue Erupting
• Pavlof continues to erupt amid near continuous seismicity
• Second Alaska Volcano Erupts May 16, 2013

Plosky Tolbachik Volcano Erupts

Plosky Tolbachik spews two long streams of lava

PLOSKY TOLBACHIK VOLCANO (55.83 N, 160.39 E; CAVW #1000-24-)
Elevation:  3,085 m (10119 ft )
Aviation Color Code:  ORANGE

The massive 3,085-meter-high Plosky [flat] Tolbachik, one of Russia’s largest volcanoes, has spewed two streams of lava, one extending for about 18km and the other 6km one made 18 kilometers, said a report.

• “The fiery river has been setting trees on its way ablaze while turning ice and snow into clouds of steam.”

Simultaneous activities have also been detected in the Kizimen and Shiveluch volcanoes in the Kamchatka region, the report said.

Holocene Volcanoes in Kamchatka. Source: Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Kamchatka, Russia

4 Kamchatka volcanoes are currently on ORANGE alert according to KVERT

1. PLOSKY TOLBACHIK VOLCANO (55.83 N, 160.39 E; CAVW #1000-24-)
Elevation:  3,085 m (10119 ft )

2. SHEVELUCH VOLCANO (56.64 N, 161.32 E; CAVW #1000-27-)
Elevation: 3, 283 m [the dome elevation: 2,500 m)

3. KIZIMEN VOLCANO (55.13 N, 160.32 E; CAVW #1000-23-)
Elevation: 2,485 m (8151 ft)

4. KARYMSKY VOLCANO (54.05 N, 159.44 E; CAVW #1000-13-)
Elevation 1,486 m (4874 ft)

3 other volcanoes on YELLOW alert

I. KLYUCHEVSKOY VOLCANO (56.06 N, 160.64 E; CAVW #1000-26-)
Elevation:  4,750 m

II. BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO (55.97 N, 160.6 E; CAVW #1000-25-)
Elevation: 2,882 m

III. GORELY VOLCANO (52.56 N, 158.03 E; CAVW #1000-07-)
Elevation: 1,828 m

Related Links

• Significant Seismic Activity Off KURIL ISLANDS, E Russia  March 1, 2013

Related News

• Volcano erupts in Russia’s Kamchatka (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

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March 5, 2013 – DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,103 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,103 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

VolcanoWatch Weekly [10 Dec 2009]

SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(2 December – 8 December 2009)

New activity/Unrest:

• Llaima, Chile

• Region: Central Chile
• Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
• Last Known Eruption: 2009
• Summit Elevation: 3,125 m  (10,253 feet)
• Latitude: 38.692°S  (38°41’30″S)
• Longitude: 71.729°W (71°43’43″W)

Llaima, one of Chile’s largest and most active volcanoes, has a symmetrical profile when seen from the north. The massive, 3125-m-high, glacier-covered stratovolcano is constructed primarily of accumulated lava flows and has a volume of 400 cu km. Volcán Llaima contains two historically active craters, one at the summit and the other to the SE. More than 40 scoria cones dot the volcano’s flanks. Frequent moderate explosive eruptions, a few of which were accompanied by lava flows, have been recorded since the 17th century. Photo by Norm Banks, 1990 (U.S. Geological Survey). Caption: GVP.

Volcano News (Source: GVP)

KVERT reported that during 27 November-4 December seismic activity from Kliuchevskoi was above background levels and lava continued to flow down the ESE flank. Strombolian activity ejected tephra 300 m above the crater.

Cameras operated by OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN showed steam-and-gas plumes rising from Llaima’s main crater and E flank during 14 November-1 December. Although seismicity generally decreased, a new type of long-period, low-frequency earthquake was detected. (Source: GVP)

Ongoing Activity

Ambrym, Vanuatu (SW Pacific);  Chaitén, Southern Chile; Colima, México;  Dukono, Halmahera; Fuego, Guatemala; Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka;  Kilauea, Hawaii (USA);  Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia);  Rabaul, New Britain;  Sakura-jima, Kyushu;  San Cristóbal, Nicaragua;  Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia); Soufrière Hills, Montserrat;  Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan).

Related Links:

• Volcanic Explosions Could Split More Than Africa
• Arabia Shakes
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [28 Oct 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [26 Oct 2009]

More Links:

• Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 19 March 2009

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• Tonga’s Metis Shoal may be erupting
• Rumble III Volcano “blew its top!”
• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes

FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts
• Volcano Watch Weekly: 23 April 2009

• Weekly Volcano Watch: 16 April 2009
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Other Related Links:

• U.S. Volcano Status Map
• Elevated Activity Page
• U.S. Volcano Webcams

Recent Posts on Chaitén:

• Chaitén: A New Phase of Activity?
• Chaitén Still Awake!
• Chaitén: Volcano with a Mission?
• Volcano that Doesn’t Sleep

VolcanoWatch Weekly [25 Nov 2009]

VOW: to be announced…

SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(18 November – 24 November 2009)

New activity/Unrest:

• Galeras, Colombia
• Sarychev Peak, Matua Island

Volcano News (Source: GVP)

An explosive eruption from  detected by the seismic network on 20 November prompted INGEOMINAS to raise the Alert Level. Residents reported five explosions, sound waves, and incandescence from multiple areas in the crater.

During 18-24 November, HVO reported that lava flowed SE from beneath Kilauea’s Thanksgiving Eve Breakout (TEB) and rootless shield complex through a lava tube system, reaching the ocean. On 21 November, a sliver of the rim collapsed and was followed by an explosion that produced a dense brown plume that dissipated after a few minutes. Watch the video here. Source: GVP [Note: The video has .mov format and cannot be run on Windows Media Player.]

Ongoing Activity:

Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia);  Chaitén, Southern Chile;  Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka;  Kilauea, Hawaii;  Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia); Pacaya, Guatemala;  Popocatépetl, México; Rabaul, New Britain; Reventador, Ecuador; Sakura-jima, Kyushu; Santa María, Guatemala; Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia); Soufrière Hills, Montserrat; Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)

Related Links:

• Volcanic Explosions Could Split More Than Africa
• Arabia Shakes
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [28 Oct 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [26 Oct 2009]

More Links:

• Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 19 March 2009

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• Tonga’s Metis Shoal may be erupting
• Rumble III Volcano “blew its top!”
• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes

FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts
• Volcano Watch Weekly: 23 April 2009

• Weekly Volcano Watch: 16 April 2009
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Other Related Links:

• U.S. Volcano Status Map
• Elevated Activity Page
• U.S. Volcano Webcams

Recent Posts on Chaitén:

• Chaitén: A New Phase of Activity?
• Chaitén Still Awake!
• Chaitén: Volcano with a Mission?
• Volcano that Doesn’t Sleep

. Tagged: Arenal, Bagana, Chaiten, Fuego, Galeras, Karymsky, Mayon

VolcanoWatch Weekly [18 Nov 2009]

VOW: Mayon

Mayon volcano spews smoke and ash for the second time in a day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009 at Legazpi, Albay province, about 340 kilometers southeast of Manila, Philippines. AP Photo/Nelson Salting. Image may be subject to copyright.

Related News and Posts:

• Mayon’s crater glow grows more intense
• Strong Earthquake Strikes Mindanao, Philippines

 

SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(11 November – 17 November 2009)

New activity/Unrest:

• Galeras, Colombia
• Mayon, Luzon (The Philippines)

Volcano News (Source: GVP)

CENAPRED reported that on 14 November an ash plume from Popocatépetl rose to an altitude of 7.4 km (24,300 ft) a.s.l. During 14-17 November, steam-and-gas plumes sometimes contained ash.

INGEOMINAS reported that an overflight of Galeras on 14 November revealed thermal anomalies in the main crater measuring 110 degrees Celsius and very low rates of gas discharge.

Ongoing Activity:

Arenal, Costa Rica; Bagana, Bougainville;  Chaitén, Southern Chile;  Fuego, Guatemala;  Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia);  Kilauea, Hawaii;  Kizimen, Eastern Kamchatka; Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia);  Nevado del Huila, Colombia;  Popocatépetl, México;  Rabaul, New Britain;  Reventador, Ecuador;  Sakura-jima, Kyushu;  Sangay, Ecuador;  Santa María, Guatemala;  Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia);  Soufrière Hills, Montserrat; Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)

Related Links:

• Volcanic Explosions Could Split More Than Africa
• Arabia Shakes
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [28 Oct 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [26 Oct 2009]

More Links:

• Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 19 March 2009

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• Tonga’s Metis Shoal may be erupting
• Rumble III Volcano “blew its top!”
• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes

FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts
• Volcano Watch Weekly: 23 April 2009

• Weekly Volcano Watch: 16 April 2009
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Other Related Links:

• U.S. Volcano Status Map
• Elevated Activity Page
• U.S. Volcano Webcams

Recent Posts on Chaitén:

• Chaitén: A New Phase of Activity?
• Chaitén Still Awake!
• Chaitén: Volcano with a Mission?
• Chaitén: Volcano that Doesn’t Sleep

VolcanoWatch Weekly [6 Nov 2009]

VOW: Kilauea

Click image to enlarge.

[Top] Activity at the west Waikupanaha ocean entry, where lava reached the ocean this past weekend, continues. The entry spans about 200 yards, with many small lava streams entering the water. [Above] On the east margin of the entry, lobes were advancing over a small black sand beach.  USGS/ HVO [Dated 4 Nov 2009] Click image to enlarge.

More images:

• Kilauea Volcano Continues to Discharge Lava
• USGS/ HVO
  

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Thursday, November 5, 2009 7:48 AM HST (Thursday, November 5, 2009 17:48 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (CAVW #1302-01-)
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1247 m)
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Activity Summary for past 24 hours:
Growth and partial collapses of the Halema`uma`u Overlook vent cavity floor continued periodically obscuring and revealing the circulating lava pond surface. Sulfur dioxide emission rates from the Halema`uma`u and east rift zone vents remain elevated. Lava flows are active on the coastal plain. Lava is also flowing through tubes to the coast and entering the ocean at two locations west of Kalapana.

Past 24 hours at Kilauea summit:
The Overlook vent webcam images again showed fluctuating glow and spattering from a single elongated hole deep within the Halema`uma`u vent cavity; the rim of this hole was built progressively inward by spatter making the hole smaller until two more partial collapses occurred early this morning again revealing the circulating and spattering lava pond below. Glow from the vent was visible from Jaggar Museum overnight. This morning, a near white plume is moving southwestward and low over the Ka`u Desert. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 500 tonnes/day on November 3, which is elevated above the 2003-2007 average of 140 tonnes/day. Small amounts of ash-sized tephra continued to be dropped from the plume near the vent.

Past 24 hours at the middle east rift zone vents and flow field: Magma continued to degas through Pu`u `O`o crater before erupting from the TEB vent, located 2 km to the east. The most recent sulfur dioxide emission rate measurement was 1,400 tonnes/day on November 4, which is close to the 2003-2007 average of 1,700 tonnes/day.  More …

Kilauea Spews More Lava

The rift zone on the eastern slopes of Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano has been erupting since January 1983, the longest eruption in recorded history. Pu‘u ‘O‘o and the Thanksgiving Eve Breakout vent—two centers of volcanic activity—emit steam and other gases in this natural-color satellite image. Lava currently reaches the surface at the Thanksgiving Eve Breakout vent and flows southeast (towards the lower right) through a lave tube to the ocean. Small plumes of gas reveal the path of the lava. In general, the youngest lava flows are black, and older, weathered, flows are gray or brown. Surviving vegetation is bright green. The Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s EO-1 satellite acquired this image on November 2, 2009. NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon, using EO-1 ALI data provided by the NASA EO-1 team. Caption by Robert Simmon. Click image to enlarge.

SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(28October – 3 November 2009)

New activity/Unrest:

Ebeko, Paramushir Island | Galeras, Colombia | Karangetang [Api Siau], Siau I | Manam, Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific) | Nevado del Huila, Colombia | Soufrière Hills, Montserrat

GVP Volcano News:

INGEOMINAS reported that on 28 October a pulse of tremor from Nevado del Huila was followed by an ash plume that rose to an altitude of 8.3 km (27,200 ft) a.s.l. On 3 November, residents of Mosoco (20 km SSW) saw collapses from the W side of the dome generate small pyroclastic flows and incandescence at night.

MVO reported that during 23-30 October seismic activity from the Soufrière Hills lava dome was at a slightly lower level that the previous week. Numerous pyroclastic flows occurred in most of the major drainage valleys and rockfalls were concentrated in the S. On 29 October, a 40-m-high spine was seen protruding from the summit. —GVP

Ongoing Activity:

Barren Island, Andaman Is | Chaitén, Southern Chile | Dukono, Halmahera | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Krakatau, Indonesia | Popocatépetl, México | Rabaul, New Britain | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)

Related Links:

• Volcanic Explosions Could Split More Than Africa
• Arabia Shakes
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [28 Oct 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [26 Oct 2009]

More Links:

• Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 19 March 2009

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• Tonga’s Metis Shoal may be erupting
• Rumble III Volcano “blew its top!”
• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes

FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts
• Volcano Watch Weekly: 23 April 2009

• Weekly Volcano Watch: 16 April 2009
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Other Related Links:

• U.S. Volcano Status Map
• Elevated Activity Page
• U.S. Volcano Webcams

Recent Posts on Chaitén:

• Chaitén: A New Phase of Activity?
• Chaitén Still Awake!
• Chaitén: Volcano with a Mission?
• Chaitén: Volcano that Doesn’t Sleep

VolcanoWatch Weekly [7 October 2009]

VOW:  Ambrym

Destructive acid rain caused by eruption

According to press reports, an eruption from Benbow Crater occurred on 10 February [1979.]  Gases from the eruption caused acid rainfall on the SW portion of Ambrym Island, destroying most vegetation within 24 hours, contaminating water supplies, and burning some inhabitants. Jean-Luc Saos, Director of Mineral Resources for the New Hebrides government, reported a high concentration of HCl and sulfur compounds in the volcanic gases. Although heavy ashfalls have occurred in the area in the past, this is the first report of acid rains. More …

View of the Marum cone at Ambrym looking SW, 7 June 2007. Incandescence from the active lava lakes can be seen reflected in the clouds (left). Courtesy of Steven Clegg.

Lava lake inside Mbwelesu crater within Marum cone at Ambrym, 7 June 2007. Courtesy of Steven Clegg.

A hazy layer of vog—volcanic fog—overlies Malekula and a few other islands of the Vanuatu archipelago in this natural-color satellite image. The source of the vog is Ambrym, a volcano in the southeast (lower right) corner of this scene. The haze extends over the Coral Sea several hundred kilometers to the northwest. Ambrym emits sulfur dioxide—the gas responsible for the formation of vog— intermittently. (Kilauea Volcano has recently affected the residents of Hawaii with similar vog emissions.)  The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this natural-color image on October 6, 2009. [Large earthquake measuring up to 8.2 Mw struck Vanuatu region  on October 7, 2009 at 22:03 UTC. FEWW] NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The Rapid Response Team provides twice-daily images of this region. Caption by Robert Simmon.

Ash plume from Ambrym Volcano, Vanuatu October 4, 2004, 23:00 UTC.  Source: NASA/MODIS Rapid Response System.

View into the Mbwelesu crater on the Marum cone at Ambrym, captured 7 September 2008. Lava can be seen through two gaps in the crusted-over lava lake (enlarged insets). Courtesy of Arnold Binas.

Ambrym, a large basaltic volcano with a 12-km-wide caldera, is one of the most active volcanoes of the New Hebrides arc. A thick, almost exclusively pyroclastic sequence, initially dacitic, then basaltic, overlies lava flows of a pre-caldera shield volcano. The caldera was formed during a major plinian eruption with dacitic pyroclastic flows about 1900 years ago. Post-caldera eruptions, primarily from Marum and Benbow cones, have partially filled the caldera floor and produced lava flows that ponded on the caldera floor or overflowed through gaps in the caldera rim. Post-caldera eruptions have also formed a series of scoria cones and maars along a fissure system oriented ENE-WSW. Eruptions have apparently occurred almost yearly during historical time from cones within the caldera or from flank vents. However, from 1850 to 1950, reporting was mostly limited to extra-caldera eruptions that would have affected local populations. Caption: GVP

Ambtym
Country: Vanuatu
Subregion Name: Vanuatu
Volcano Number: 0507-04=
Volcano Type: Pyroclastic shield
Volcano Status: Historical
Last Known Eruption: 2009
Summit Elevation: 1334 m 4,377 feet
Latitude: 16.25°S 16°15’0″S
Longitude: 168.12°E 168°7’0″E

SI /USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(30 September – 6 October 2009)

New activity/Unrest:

• Chaitén, Southern Chile
• Cleveland, Chuginadak Island
• Galeras, Colombia
• Gaua, Banks Islands (SW Pacific)
• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)
• Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Sakura-jima, Kyushu
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat

News From GVP:

On 29 September, people living in Chaitén town, 10 km SW of Chaitén’s Domo Nuevo 1 (Phase I) and Domo Nuevo 2 (Phase II) lava-dome complex, noticed that the eruption column was larger. Scientists conducted an overflight and saw a third lava dome (Phase III) in the SW area of the complex, which had filled up a depression left by a collapse on 19 February.

According to news articles from 2 October, increased seismicity at Gaua was detected during the previous two weeks. Villagers living nearby reported ashfall and sulfur odors.

An explosive eruption from Galeras on 30 September prompted INGEOMINAS to raise the Alert Level. An ash plume rose to an approximate altitude of 12.3 km (40,400 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E, then N. —GVP

Ongoing Activity:

• Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
• Dukono, Halmahera
• Kilauea, Hawaii
• Langila, New Britain
• Popocatépetl, México
• Rabaul, New Britain
• Reventador, Ecuador
• Sangay, Ecuador
• Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)

Related Links:

• Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 19 March 2009

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• Tonga’s Metis Shoal may be erupting
• Rumble III Volcano “blew its top!”
• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes

FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts
• Volcano Watch Weekly: 23 April 2009

• Weekly Volcano Watch: 16 April 2009
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Other Related Links:

• U.S. Volcano Status Map
• Elevated Activity Page
• U.S. Volcano Webcams

Recent Posts on Chaitén:

• Chaitén: A New Phase of Activity?
• Chaitén Still Awake!
• Chaitén: Volcano with a Mission?
• Chaitén: Volcano that Doesn’t Sleep

VolcanoWatch Weekly [30 September 2009]

VOW: Golden Trout Creek

A cluster of 66 shocks have rocked a a 15 square km area centered about 36.392°N, 117.861°W, some 41 km east of the Golden Trout Creek volcano field in central California, in the past few days. Although most of the quakes were tremors measuring less than M 3.0, the largest shock measured 5.2.

Volcano Details:

Country:  United States
Region:  California (USA)
Volcano Type: Volcanic field
Volcano Status: Tephrochronology
Last Known Eruption: 5550 BC ± 1000 years
Summit Elevation: 2,886 m  (9,468 feet)
Latitude: 36.358°N   (36°21’30″N)
Source: Global Volcanism Program (GVP)

The Golden Trout Creek volcanic field consists of a group of Quaternary alkali olivine basaltic cinder cones and lava flows in the Toowa valley of the Sierra Nevada about 25 km south of Mount Whitney. Lava flows from the Golden Trout Creek volcanic field erupted through Mesozoic granitic rocks of the Sierra Nevada batholith during several episodes dating back to about 743,000 years ago, when the Little Whitney cinder cone and lava flows were erupted. The South Fork cone was erupted about 176,000 years ago and produced the largest lava flow of the volcanic field, which traveled 10 km to the west, possibly as far as the floor of Kern Canyon. Tunnel cone to the north of South Fork (Red Hill) cone is undated, but its lava flow is overlain by glacial deposits and it is thought to be only slightly younger than South Fork cone. The youngest lava flow, from Groundhog cone, is unglaciated and thought to be about 5-10,000 years old (Moore and Lanphere 1983). The lava flow from Groundhog cone traveled 6 km west down Golden Trout Creek on top of the older flow from South Fork cone.—GVP.   Photo: Rick Howard, 2002 (courtesy of Del Hubbs, U S Forest Service).

SI /USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(23 September – 29 September 2009)

New activity/Unrest:

• Dieng Volcanic Complex, Central Java (Indonesia)
• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)

News From GVP:

CVGHM reported that on 26 September a “thunderous” noise from Dieng was heard from 2 km away. The next day, a phreatic eruption from an unspecified crater ejected mud as far away as 140 m S.

KVERT reported that on 17 and 22 September a weak thermal anomaly over Karymsky was detected in satellite imagery. Scientists flying near Karymsky in a helicopter on 22 September saw ash plumes that rose to an altitude of 1.7 km (5,600 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E. —GVP

Ongoing Activity:

• Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
• Chaitén, Southern Chile
• Dukono, Halmahera
• Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
• Langila, New Britain
• Rabaul, New Britain
• Redoubt, Southwestern Alaska
• Sakura-jima, Kyushu
• Turrialba, Costa Rica

Related Links:

• Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 19 March 2009

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• Tonga’s Metis Shoal may be erupting
• Rumble III Volcano “blew its top!”
• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes

FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts
• Volcano Watch Weekly: 23 April 2009

• Weekly Volcano Watch: 16 April 2009
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Other Related Links:

• U.S. Volcano Status Map
• Elevated Activity Page
• U.S. Volcano Webcams

VolcanoWatch Weekly [23 September 2009]

Magnitude 6.4 EQ occurred off SW of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, at a depth of 35 km, today.

FEWW Comments: The strong earthquake may have primed for eruption either one or both of two volcanoes Bárcena, which forms the island of San Benedicto, and Socorro, located on island of the same name, about 380 km to the west of the EQ location.

VOW1: Bárcena

Bárcena volcano forms the elongated island of San Benedicto, seen here from the SW in March 1955. The tuff cone with the circular summit crater at the center and the lava delta to the right were formed during an eruption in 1952-53, the only eruption known from this volcano in historical time. Pleistocene trachytic lava domes are located at the far NE tip of the island. Dark-colored lava domes from the 1952-53 eruption can be seen in the summit crater. Photo by Adrian Richards, 1955. Caption: GVP

VOW2: Socorro

Cerro Evermann, the high point of Socorro Island, rises above a Mexican Naval camp near the southern tip of the island. Socorro lies in the Revillagigedo Islands south of Baja California. Cerro Evermann is a large tephra cone and lava dome complex that forms the 1050-m-high summit of the volcano. Rhyolitic lava domes have been constructed along flank rifts, and silicic lava flows erupted from summit and flank vents have created an extremely irregular shoreline. Only minor explosive activity has occurred in historical time. Photo by Martha Marin, 1998 (Mexican Navy). Caption: GVP

Bárcena  and Socorro are shown to the lower left of the map.

SI /USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report
(16 September – 22 September 2009)

New activity/Unrest:

• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka
• Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Sakar, Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific)
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)

News From GVP:

• KVERT reported that although seismic activity from Kliuchevskoi did not exceed background levels during 11-18 September, weak tremor was detected. Strombolian activity that ejected tephra 70 m above the crater was seen at night on 16 and 17 September.

• KVERT reported that during 11-18 September seismic activity from Shiveluch was above background levels. On 13 September, pyroclastic flow deposits 5 km long were seen on the S part of the lava dome.  —GVP

Ongoing Activity:

• Bagana, Bougainville
• Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
• Chaitén, Southern Chile
• Dukono, Halmahera
• Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
• Rabaul, New Britain
• Reventador, Ecuador
• Sakura-jima, Kyushu
• Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)

Related Links:

• Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 19 March 2009

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• Tonga’s Metis Shoal may be erupting
• Rumble III Volcano “blew its top!”
• Volcanoes
• Earthquakes

FEWW Volcanic Activity Forecast

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts

• Sumatra’s Mt Kerinci Erupts
• Volcano Watch Weekly: 23 April 2009

• Weekly Volcano Watch: 16 April 2009
• Weekly Volcano Watch: 2 April 2009

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Other Related Links:

• U.S. Volcano Status Map
• Elevated Activity Page
• U.S. Volcano Webcams

Messages From Earth’s Powerhouse

Are You Receiving, Over?

Images of the Day: Kamchatka Volcanoes

Lava flows from the dome of Sheveluch volcano in this night time photo taken on September 15, 2009. Photo by Yu. Demyanchuk. Click on the image to see other photos. Sheveluch is the northernmost active volcano in Kamchatka.

Strombolian activity of Klyuchevskoy volcano on September 18. Photo by Yu. Demyanchuk. Klyuchevskoy is the highest mountain on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

Fumarolic activity of Bezymianny volcano on September 03, 2009.  Photo by Yu. Demyanchuk. Considered to be extinct before its 1955 eruption,  Bezymianny  means “nameless” in Russian.

Karymsky volcano on August 18, 2009. Photo by S. Chirkov. Karymsky is the most active volcano of Kamchatka’s eastern volcanic zone.

Images may be subject to copyright. See KVERT for details.

Related Links:

• Earthquakes [Main Index page]
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Volcano Links

A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun

2008/9 May be the Start of a New Period of Intense Global Volcanic Unrest

[SHIVELUCH: Central Kamchatka (Russia) 56.653°N, 161.360°E; summit elev. 3,283 m]

Shiveluch Volcano in Kamchatka peninsula erupted at 08:00 local time on Friday (23:00 Moscow time, September 25) discharging a column of ash to an altitude of about 4.5km above sea level, Kamchatka office of the Geophysics Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences told Itar-Tass.  Shiveluch is one of the most active volcanoes on the Kamchatka peninsula.

KVERT had previously reported above background levels seismic activity at Shiveluch during 12-19 September. Seismic data analysis, video camera and visual observations indicated that “a small hot avalanche descended the SE side of the lava dome, producing an ash plume that rose to an altitude of 6.5 km, and drifted 100 km NE”, GVP reported.

Holocene Volcanoes in Kamchatka

Source of map:Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Kamchatka, Russia

[KARYMSKY Eastern Kamchatka 54.05°N, 159.45°E; summit elev. 1,536 m]

Karymsky, another of Kamchatka’s volcanoes, also discharged ash to an altitude of about 3km Friday, possibly due to an explosion. This followed KVERT report for enhanced seismic activity at Karymsky during 12-19 September.

Kliuchevskoi

Klyuchevskaya Sopka [Kliuchevskoi,] Eurasia’s highest volcano (elevation of 4,700 m a.s.l.) was also reported as showing seismic activity that “considerably exceeded” the background level, with a total of 196 local quakes recorded during the previous 24 hours. Despite heightened thermal anomaly, no eruption was reported.

Kliuchevskoi is Kamchatka’s highest and most active volcano. Since its origin about 6000 years ago, the beautifully symmetrical, 4835-m-high basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. More than 100 flank eruptions have occurred during the past roughly 3000 years, with most lateral craters and cones occurring on the NE (seen here) and SE flanks of the conical volcano at altitudes of 500-3600 m. Photo by E.Y. Zhdanova (courtesy of Oleg Volynets, Institute of Volcanology, Petropavlovsk). Source and Caption: GVP)

Related News Links:

• Volcano on Kamchatka spews 4,5-km ash plume; no threat to nearby residential areas (Sept 26, 2008 –  Itar-Tass)

Related Links:

• Volcano Watch [No. 38]
• Volcanoes

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.

Volcanic Activity News

For New Volcanic Activity/Unrest See

SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

23 July-29 July 2008

New Activity/Unrest:

Anatahan, Mariana Islands (Central Pacific) | Chaitén, Southern Chile | Chikurachki, Paramushir Island | Cleveland, Chuginadak Island | Dukono, Halmahera | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka | Llaima, Central Chile | Manam, Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific) | Okmok, Fox Islands | Reventador, Ecuador | Soufrière Hills, Montserrat

“Garden of the Fugitives.” Plaster casts of some of the victims of Mount Vesuvius eruption [AD79] are still in the ruins of Pompeii. A few hours after Mount Vesuvius exploded Pompeii and its residents were buried under 3 meters of volcanic ash. Photo copyright: Aschwin Prein. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Ongoing Activity:

Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia) | Bezymianny, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Krakatau, Indonesia | Rabaul, New Britain | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Santa María, Guatemala | Semeru, Eastern Java (Indonesia) | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Suwanose-jima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan) | Tungurahua, Ecuador | Ubinas, Perú

The skeletal remains of a young woman killed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. The skeleton, unearthed from the ruins of Herculaneum in 1982, was named the “Ring Lady” because of the emerald and ruby rings found on the woman’s left hand. Two gold bracelets and gold earrings were also found by the woman’s side. (Source: Wikipedia)