VolcanoWatch – September 19, 2015

Global Volcanism – Latest and Ongoing Activity

Latest Eruptions

• Cotopaxi, Ecuador
• Mt Aso, Kyushu, Japan
• Nevado del Ruiz,  Colombia

US Volcanoes

Cleveland Watch Orange 2015-09-18

• Low level unrest continues. No significant activity detected in seismic or infrasound (pressure sensor) data. Minor steaming observed in web camera images and slightly elevated surface temperatures detected in satellite data during periods of clear weather over the past week.  Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)

Kilauea Watch Orange 2015-09-18

• The lava lake at Kīlauea’s summit remains active. At the East Rift Zone, the lava flow northeast of Puʻu ʻŌʻō remains active within 8 km (5 mi) of the vent and does not currently pose a threat to communities. Normal levels of seismic and deformation activity continue across the volcano.
• Puʻu ʻŌʻō Observations: The multiple vents within Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater continued to outgas and glow at night. The sulfur dioxide emission rate from all East Rift Zone vents was about 400 metric tons per day when measurements were last possible on August 13, 2015. A magnitude 3.8 earthquake that occurred at about 8 km (5 mi) depth SSE of Puʻu ʻŌʻō yesterday afternoon was widely felt on the island. Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)

Shishaldin Watch Orange 2015-09-18

• Low-level activity within the summit crater of Shishaldin likely continues. Seismicity remains slightly above background levels but no activity observed in satellite data and web camera images during periods of clear weather over the past week. AVO
  

Mauna Loa Advisory Yellow 2015-09-17

• HVO seismic stations continue to record elevated rates of shallow, small-magnitude earthquakes beneath Mauna Loa’s summit, upper Southwest Rift Zone, and west flank.

Pagan Advisory Yellow 2015-09-18 [Northern Mariana Islands]

• Seismic, infrasound, and web camera data from Pagan Volcano remain temporarily unavailable. No activity observed in satellite images during periods of clear weather over the past week. Volcanic gas from Pagan may be noticed downwind of the volcano as a distinctive sulfurous odor.

Ongoing Activity

Kamchatka & Kurile Volcanoes (Russia)

• Karymsky: Eastern Kamchatka, Russia – Orange
  Moderate eruptive activity of the volcano continues. Ash explosions up to 19,700 ft (6 km) a.s.l. could occur at any time. Ongoing activity could affect low-flying aircraft.
  http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/volc.php?lang=en&name=Karymsky
• Sheveluch: Central Kamchatka, Russia – Orange
  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. http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/volc.php?lang=en&name=Sheveluch
• Bezymianny Yellow
• Klyuchevskoy Yellow

Other Volcanoes

• Batu Tara: Komba Island, Indonesia
• Mt Dempo: South Sumatra, Indonesia
• Dukono: Halmahera, Indonesia
• Karangetang: Siau Island, Indonesia
• Sinabung: North Sumatra, Indonesia

• Colima: Mexico

• Otake (Suwanosejima): Ryukyu Islands, Japan

Flooding and Landslides Affect Thousands in Colombia

Disaster Calendar 2012 – April 9

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,437 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

First rainy season of 2012 affects 12,000 people, leaving 10 dead or missing

At least 10 people are dead and more than 12,000 affected by flooding and landslides following this year’s first rainy season, Colombian government said.

• Bogota, Colombia.   Flooding and landslides caused by the region’s first rainy season have left at least 10 people dead or missing and affected more than 12,000 so far this year, Colombian authorities said.
  • Extreme rain events have deluged the Bogota metropolitan area and about 70 other municipalities across 23 departments (states) since January.
  • More than 2,300 homes, schools and public buildings, as well as dozens of roads bridges and other infrastructure were damaged or destroyed.

Significant Events

• Nevado del Ruiz volcano, Colombia.   A ‘Red Alert’ has been issued for the central Colombia Nevado del Ruiz volcano because the authorities believe an eruption is imminent.
  • The highest alert was issued “for the rivers that descend from the Nevado del Ruiz volcano because of a change in eruption threat and the heavy rains that have occurred in the area,” said Colombia’s meteorological institute IDEAM on Sunday.
  • The alert covers  residential areas  near a dozen rivers and streams in several departments in Colombia’s Midwest region due to ongoing extreme rain events.
  • The volcano was placed on ‘Orange Alert’ on March 31 due to increased seismic activity.
  • The deadliest eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz occurred in 1985, when lahars killed more than 25,000 people and injured more than 5,000 others, destroying thousands of homes, erasing the town of Armero in Tolima department and causing substantial damage to the town of Chinchiná in Caldas.

Nevado del Ruiz threatens to erupt. The volcano sits on the border of Caldas and Tolima departments about 130 km (80 mi) west of Colombia’s capital, Bogotá.  Photo credit: Jhon Jairo Bonilla/El Tiempo

Río Lagunillas, former location of Armero

Within four hours of the beginning of the eruption, lahars had traveled 100 km and left behind a wake of destruction: more than 23,000 people killed, about 5,000 injured, and more than 5,000 homes destroyed along the Chinchiná, Gualí, and Lagunillas rivers. Hardest hit was the town of Armero at the mouth of the Río Lagunillas canyon, which was located in the center of this photograph. Three quarters of its 28,700 inhabitants perished. Source: USGS.  Photo:  J. Marso, taken in late November 1985

Volcanic hazard map for Nevado del Ruiz. Lahars from 1985 eruption shown in red. Source: Wright, Thomas L. and Pierson, Thomas C. (1992); via Living with volcanoes, USGS.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar: Collapse has already Begun

Galeras volcano erupts, 8,000 evacuated

Galeras volcano on  the Colombia border with Ecuador erupted Saturday

The tephra eruption prompted authorities to evacuated the usual 8,000 residents from the hazard zones near the volcano.

Galeras volcano photo taken during an episode of unrest on December 12, 2009. Credit: Ingeominas

Galeras seen in this aerial photo (Undated). Source: Alaska Earthquake Information center. Image may be subject to copyright.

Currently the most active volcano in Colombia, the 4,276-meter-high volcano’s first historical eruption occurred on December 7, 1580. The volcano resumed activity in 1988 after 10 years of dormancy. It erupted in 1993, killing nine people, three tourists and six scientists who had descended into the volcano’s crater to conduct tests.

There were no reported casualties after Saturday eruption.

In June 2009 FEWW forecast that

Galeras could erupt continually throughout 2009  and most of 2010

AND it hasn’t disappointed yet!

Eight of Colombia’s 15 volcanoes have erupted in the last 100 years, and three of them since 1990: Galeras, Nevado del Huila, and Nevado del Ruiz.

An explosive eruption ruptured the summit of Nevado del Ruiz on November 13, 1985, spewing about 20 million cubic meters of volcanic ash and rocks into the air. Forty-meter thick lahars traveling at velocities of up to 50 kilometers per hour destroyed the town of Armero 74 km away from the explosion crater, killing more than 23,000 people. [Source: USGS]

Galeras activity in 2009

• 14 February 19:11 an eruption spewed ash SO2 and other and volcanic gases. (Red Alert, Level I). [Pasto was covered in ash, 8,000 people evacuated.]
• 20 February 07:05 spewed ashes. (Red Alert,  Level I).
• 12 March 19:30, and 13 March 15:55 explosions were recorded (Orange Alert, Level II ).
• 13 March 15:55, eruption occurred spewing gas and hot ashes at 16:34 further emission was recorded. (Orange Alert, Level II).
• 24 April 07:32, two explosions were recorded. (Orange Alert, Level II).
• 29 April monitors recorded increase in seismic activity. (Orange Alert, Level II).
• 11 May 11:58, tectonic venting. (Orange Alert, Level II).
• 17 May 21:40, seismic activity recorded. (Orange Alert, Level II).
• 11 December 2001 Galeras Alert Level Raised to “Orange”

For other episodes see:

• VolcanoWatch Weekly [3 Dec 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [25 Nov 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [18 Nov 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [11 Nov 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [6 Nov 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [28 Oct 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [7 October 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [6 August 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [2 July 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [25 June 2009]
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [18 June 2009]
• Weekly VolcanoWatch [11 June 2009]

For more information see:

• Galeras Alert Level Raised to “Orange”

• Galeras Volcano Erupts Twice in 24 Hrs

• Galeras Volcano Erupts Again!

Related Links:

• VolcanoWatch Weekly [20 May 2009]
• Galeras Volcano Erupts Again [April 26, 2009]
• FEWW Volcano Links
• Galeras Erupts Again! [February 15, 2009]