GLOBAL VOLCANISM: The Latest Report Of Volcanic Eruptions, Activity, Unrest And Awakenings – March 3-7, 2016! [PHOTOS + VIDEOS]

Strombolian eruption at Tungurahua on March 2, 2016. (Photo: E. Gaunt - OVTIGEPN)

March 7, 2016 - EARTH - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe.


Tungurahua (Ecuador): The volcano is in a phase of mild to moderate strombolian activity. Incandescent bombs are ejected to the upper slopes of the volcano, generating avalanches. Ash plumes rise up to a few km above the crater and drift mostly in westerly directions.

Apparently, the large vent-clearing explosion on 27 Feb has opened the conduit to allow a sustained slow rise of magma and more gradual release of gas pressure in small discrete explosions (= strombolian activity).

In its latest report, IGEPN published a series of remarkable photos taken during cloud-free periods at night.



Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): An explosion occurred at the volcano this morning, producing an ash plume that rose 3000 m above the summit. The eruption was accompanied by Ash falls occurred later in several nearby towns to the NW including Chinchiná, Villamaría, Manizales and Palestine.

Nevado del Ruiz' eruption column. (Photo: Luis Guillermo Velásquez / La Patria)

The regional La Nubia airport was closed today after noon.


Shiveluch (Kamchatka): The lava dome continues to be very active, generating frequent rockfalls and small glowing avalanches on the SW side as well as, more rarely, on the SE side as can be seen on today's time-lapse video.


WATCH: Time-lapse of Shiveluch.

A larger event might have taken place after dark, as Tokyo VAAC reported an ash plume to 18,000 ft (5.4 km) altitude this morning 08:20 UTC (17:20 local time in Kamchatka).



Copahue (Chile): The activity at the volcano, near-constant degassing with sometimes ash emissions, has decreased over the past weeks. Ash venting has become less frequent and intense, and the glow from E Agrio crater that had been visible at the crater disappeared.

Weak steam/ash plume from Copahue.

According to the Chilean scientists from SERNAGEOMIN who monitor the volcano, the current activity of the volcano is being caused by the interaction of a small volume of new magma under its highly active shallow hydrothermal system - none or little of this magma reaches the surface itself, but the heat transfer into the circulating fluids causes fragmentation by small explosions and the emission of gasses and particles (ash). This activity reflects in a continuous tremor signal of moderate intensity.

Scientists concluded that the new magma volume has been too small to greatly affect the internal balance in the hydrothermal system. Other geophysical parameters such as rate of degassing and deformation are mostly within normal levels of the volcano. It is therefore expected that the current activity continues in the coming weeks to months at fluctuating rates. This includes possible short-lived phases of more pronounced sporadic phreatic to strombolian explosions.




Chripoi (Kurile Islands, Russia): A new eruption might have taken place at the volcano this afternoon. Based on satellite imagery, Tokyo VAAC reported an ash plume to estimated 20,000 ft (6 km) altitude that drifted east.

Whether or not an eruption took place still needs to be confirmed.



Alaid (Northern Kuriles): A new eruption is occurring at the volcano, satellite images show. A pronounced steam plume with possible ash content can be seen drifting west from the volcano, at estimated 13,000 ft (4 km) altitude. In addition, NASA's MODIS and VIIRS sensors have been detecting an intense heat source from the volcano's summit lately.

Steam plume from Alaid volcano. NASA Suomi NPP satellite image

Bromo (East Java, Indonesia): The latest eruptive cycle of the volcano might have ended. No more eruptions (explosions, ash emissions) have been observed during the past 2 weeks and seismic activity has returned to normal levels as well, our friend Oystein Andersen from Jakarta reported.

Tokyo VAAC raised the aviation color code to orange.


Suwanose-jima (Ryukyu Islands): The (probably) strombolian-type activity that had started a few days ago continues at the Otake crater and is visible as bright glow from neighboring islands.

Glow from Suwanose-jima's active crater.

Manam (Papua New Guinea): New activity has been reported from the volcano this morning. A pilot reported an ash plume at approx. 10,000 ft (3 km) altitude extending 50 km to the SE. A plume, along with a thermal signal, can also be seen on the latest satellite image.

Ash plume from Manam volcano

You can find photos and more detailed reports of the latest eruption at his website.


Telica (Nicaragua): The volcano has remained mostly calm during the past 24 hours. Sporadic weak ash emissions occurred at night, but glow could no longer be seen from the crater.

Ash emission from Telica.

Masaya (Nicaragua): The activity of the lava lake in the Santiago crater has been increasing in the past week. In a recent bulletin, INETER mentions that the previously two ponds in two adjacent vents have now joined, probably as a result of erosion by the violently degassing and convective lava.

The following video taken on the 1st of March gives a good impression:


WATCH: Activity at the Masaya lake.

Nevados de Chillán (Central Chile): A small eruption occurred at the volcano again yesterday, the first activity since the mild explosive activity on 7 February. Starting around noon, the volcano began to emit a steam plume of variable intensity, sometimes mixed with ash. The activity took place at one of the new craters that had formed in early February.

Eruption of Nevados de Chillan volcano

According to SERNAGEOMIN, seismicity and other monitored parameters had shown little fluctuations during most of February, but then started to increase at the end of the month, possibly related to a slowly ascending body of magma. Yesterday's new activity is likely the result of this and could be a precursor of more activity in the near to medium future.


Bagana (Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea): Based on Himawari-8 satellite data, Darwin VAAC reported an ash emission from the volcano at 7,000 ft (2.1 km) altitude last evening, creating a plume that drifted 100 km to the NE. Aviation color code is at Orange.


Kilauea (Hawai'i): The activity of the volcano remains essentially unchanged. Rising magma levels under the east rift zone briefly caused an overflow of lava that erupted from a spatter cone within the southern part of the Puʻu ʻŌʻō crater.

Thermal image of the lava overflow inside Kilauea's Pu'u 'O'o crater

This activity started around 8:15 a.m. local time yesterday (2 Mar), covered part of the crater floor and ceased at about 15:00 local time. No lava flowed beyond the crater. According to HVO, "this type of activity is not unusual for Puʻu ʻŌʻō, and does not reflect a significant change in the ongoing eruption".
At the summit caldera, rising magma levels temporarily brought the surface of the lava lake inside Halema'uma'u back in sight from the Jaggar Museum overlook in the early morning hours before receding.

Scattered surface flows remain active on the 'June 27th' flow field, all within about 6.0 km (4 mi) of Puʻu ʻŌʻō and do not currently threaten any nearby communities. Seismicity and deformation are within normal levels throughout the volcano.


Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): No significant changes in activity have occurred over the past weeks. Bright glow at the summit crater indicates that the lava dome in its inner crater continues to grow slowly.

Intermittent weak to moderate explosions (on average 2-3 per day) sometimes produce ash plumes that rise up to 1-2 km and rarely eject incandescent material outside the crater.


WATCH: Glow from Popocatepetl volcano.

Fuego (Guatemala): The volcano's activity started to drop again to normal levels (intermittent small explosions) yesterday evening - the most recent paroxysm has now ended.

View of Fuego volcano.

Barren Island (Indian Ocean): Weak eruptive activity continues at the summit vent of the remote and rarely directly observed volcano, satellite data indicates.

A thermal hot spot has been present regularly during recent weeks, and on cloud-free days, a steam-gas plume can often be seen drifting from the island that sometimes contains some ash.

Steam (and ash?) plume from Barren Island on March 1(red spot is a thermal anomaly detected by the VIIRS radiometer onboard NASA's Suomi NPP)

What exactly the activity is like is difficult to say, but most likely is mild strombolian activity and/or the occasional presence of a (very small) lava lake in the summit crater.

- Volcano Discovery .

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: The Latest Report Of Volcanic Eruptions, Activity, Unrest And Awakenings – March 1-2, 2016! [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

Explosion at Sinabung (Image: Andi / VolcanoDiscovery Indonesia)

March 2, 2016 - EARTH - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe.


Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The activity of the volcano seems to have picked up.

Eruption of Sinabung on February 29, 2016 - 11:28pm (Image: Endro Lewa / Facebook)

Our correspondent Andi who's there on one of our Volcano Special tours, reported:

"Sinabung increases its activity after the big pyroclastic flow on February 26, which burned the remaining houses left from the previous damaged village (Simacem)...- this and the occurrence of highly hybrid tremors means there is deformation of the lava dome that grows continuously and increases the intensity of rock falls followed by pyroclastic flows."


Suwanose-jima (Ryukyu Islands): After a period of relative calm since last October, a new phase of strombolian activity occurred this morning at the volcano.


WATCH: Time-lapse video of Suwanose-jima.

Telica (Nicaragua): INETER and SINAPRED confirmed that a small amount of lava was erupted from a small new fissure into the crater of Telica during the night, as bright glow had suggested. A warning was issued not to approach the crater because of the risk of sudden explosions.

Shortly before dawn, weak ash emissions occurred from the crater, which since then has remained relatively calm, producing only a small intermittent steam/gas plume mixed with some light ash content.

Ash emission from Telica.

Telica's crater with bright glow from lava (?) about 40 minutes after the first signs of incandescence.

On March 1, a new eruption seems to be underway at the volcano. Bright glow has become visible from the crater since around midnight (local time).

This probably indicates that a new eruptive fissure is opening up there, possibly erupting lava onto the crater floor.


Fuego (Guatemala): The activity of the volcano continued to increase into its 4th paroxysm (called "eruption" by local press) of 2016. Lava effusion rate increased gradually and continued to feed the lava flow on the eastern side into the Las Lajas ravine, where it reached approx 600 m length yesterday and started to produce small pyroclastic flows (by collapse of parts of the flow on the steep slope).

Ash plume from Fuego.

Pulsating lava fountains at the summit vents generated an steam and ash plume that rose 2-3 km above the volcano, reaching altitudes of 17-20,000 ft(5.2 - 6 km). The plume drifted southwest for up to 20 km before dissipating.

Constant moderate to strong rumblings can be heard and felt in nearby areas.


Soputan (North-Sulawesi, Indonesia): The volcano has remained calm since its last eruption on February 6-7, but continues to show significant signs of unrest. Its alert level is being maintained at 3 on the Indonesian scale of 1-4.

Seismic activity at Soputan over the past year
(Red lines=explosion signals, GUGURAN=avalanche signals)

Visual activity during the past weeks consisted in degassing, producing a plume that rose 25-75 meters, and rock avalanches from the lava dome that indicate that magma supply continues into the dome at slow rate.

An exclusion zone of 4 km radius from the summit is in place and increased to 6.5 km towards the western sector. River beds draining from the volcano in particular should be avoided due to the elevated risk of lahars (mud flows) during rainfall.


Erta Ale (Danakil depression, Ethiopia): The level of the active lava lake in the volcano's southern pit crater of the summit caldera has sunk a bit again after its last overflow in mid January, but remains highly agitated. Our expedition leader Enku who was there with a small group from February 12-15 reported:

The lava lake of Erta Ale seen in late December 2015 (image: Enku Mulugheta)

"Erta Ale is going down again to 5- 7 Meters from the rim of the caldera, but the activity is getting very wild at this time and it was very hard to walk on the the recently crusted flow.

The last flow went in every direction from the crater and covered the whole rim with fresh crust of gaseous basaltic pahoehoe lava."


Momotombo (Nicaragua): Two moderately strong explosions occurred during the past 24 hours at the volcano, covering the upper slopes of the cone with fresh lava bombs and producing ash plumes that rose approx 2 km.

Explosion at Momotombo.

Small explosion from Momotombo.

This followed a period of calmer activity that had lasted a few days.



Karymsky (Kamchatka): Two stronger explosions occurred this morning, producing ash plumes that rose to 13,000 and 17,000 ft (4.2 and 5.1 km) altitude and drifted NE, Tokyo VAAC reported.


Shiveluch (Kamchatka): The extrusive activity from the active dome has increased again recently. Near constant small to moderate glowing avalanches can be seen on the SW sector of the lava dome.

Incandescent rockfalls from Shiveluch

Some of them produce pyroclastic flows that travel a few km distance and produce ash plumes that rise up to 17,000 ft (5.1 km) altitude.


Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The volcano is back at its typical style of activity of having intermittent (0-3 on average per day) small to moderate vulcanian explosions.

Eruption of Sakurajima volcano

Compared to most of 2013-15, Sakurajima's activity is relatively low, though.


Dukono (Halmahera): Intense ash emissions continue from the volcano. Darwin VAAC reported an ash plume at 8,000 ft (2.4 km) altitude extending 50 nautical miles to the NE yesterday.


Colima (Western Mexico): No significant changes have occurred recently at the volcano. The small lava dome continues to be active, while explosions have become small and rare.

Glow from Colima's small lava dome inside the summit crater

Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): The Manizales volcano observatory reported small ash emissions yesterday.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): Ash emissions have continued after the powerful vent-clearing explosion on Sunday (27 Feb). During brief periods when cloud cover lifted, a steam-and ash column was seen rising 1,500 meters above the crater and heading west.

Ash/steam emission from Tungurahua

Ash fall has been occurring in the sector of Mocha. Ground vibrations from the volcano could be felt in Manzano, Pillate, Patilahua and the Tungurahua Volcano Observatory.



- Volcano Discovery .

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: The Latest Report Of Volcanic Eruptions, Activity, Unrest And Awakenings – February 23 - 29, 2016! [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

Eruption of Momotombo volcano (February 21, Image: Richard Roscoe)

February 29, 2016 - EARTH - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe.


Momotombo (Nicaragua): The volcano continues to produce on average 2-3 vulcanian-type explosions per day. Some of them seem to generate small pyroclastic flows.

Eruption yesterday evening.

WATCH: Spectacular video by Richard Roscoe that was taken last week.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Over the past days, activity at the volcano seems to have picked up. The frequency and size of explosions from the summit have increased and generated several ash plumes that rose up to approx 3 km height above the summit.

In addition, collapses of parts of the lava lobe generated small to moderate pyroclastic flows that traveled up to 3 km down on the ESE side. One of them on Saturday reached again the (already mostly destroyed and abandoned) village of Simacem on the ESE flank at only 3 km distance from the crater.

Explosion from Sinabung on February 25. (Image: Endro Lewa / Facebook)

Eruption with lightning on February 25. (Image: Endro Lewa / Facebook)

Explosion at Sinabung. (Image: Endro Lewa / Facebook)

Destroyed houses in Simacem (Photo: Andi / VolcanoDiscovery Indonesia)

Whether this apparent increase in activity caused by and actual increase in magma and or gas output, or simply a process of releasing accumulated pressure and instabilities on the already emplaced lava lobes on the steep flanks of the volcano is unclear.

For the local population, this means the long-lasting (more than 2 years now) crisis has no end in sight: the exclusion zone of 4-5 km radius around the volcano (depending on which sector) remains in place. More than 9500 people evacuated from villages in this risk area continue to live in a total of 9 now semi-permanent shelters.



Dallol hydrothermal field (Ethiopia):  One of our groups visited Dallol last week during our recent Danakil volcano expedition. The hydrothermal activity was observed to be very intense, with many colorful ponds and hot springs.

Expedition leader Enku reported:

"Dallol is back to its original status with every bit of the geothermal fissures which are full of activity with gas and liquid chemicals washed out by the hot ground water. I have never seen Dallol like this before in my entire 12 years of Afar Depression trip."

Green and yellow salt pond at Dallol (Image: Enku Mulugheta)

Green lake at Dallol (Image: Enku Mulugheta)

Salt lake at Dallol (Image: Enku Mulugheta)

Tungurahua (Ecuador):  Two moderately large explosions occurred at the volcano yesterday noon from 12:12 local time. The first and larger explosion produced an ash plume that rose approx. 5000 meters above the summit.

The ash plume dispersed mainly to the west and northwest where ash fall occurred in areas including Choglontús, Pillate, Cahuaji and El Manzano.

According to IGEPN, the eruption - which came after a 3 months interval of quiet since last November - was most likely NOT the result of new magma, but instead of accumulated gas pressure in the upper conduit.

Eruption plume of Tungurahua volcano (Image: J.L Espinosa-Naranjo @Ambalaser / Twitter)

Magmatic gasses (H2O, CO2 etc) still contained in older magma inside the conduit was being released quietly as the magma continued to cool and crystallize, but most of these gasses were being trapped beneath a solid plug. With time, the gas pressure increased to the critical point: the plug gave way in yesterday's explosions.

The explosion itself, a typical so-called "vulcanian"-type eruption, was preceded only by a short (lasting little more than an hour), but intense seismic swarm of shallow earthquakes caused by internal fluid movements and rock fracturing as pressurized gasses started to disintegrate the overlying plug.



Shiveluch (Kamchatka): Based on satellite data, Tokyo VAAC reported an eruption plume from the volcano that rose to estimated 21,000 ft (6.4 km) altitude yesterday evening and drifted NW.

The volcano overall has been a bit calmer recently.

This and a similar report a few days ago indicate that activity continues, and produces occasional moderate-sized explosions and/or pyroclastic flows event from the active lava dome. In many cases, cloud cover prevents visual observation of the volcano from the webcam.


Etna (Sicily, Italy): An unusual eruptive episode occurred yesterday morning from the volcano's NE crater (the least active of the summit vents over the past few decades). Incandescent bombs were ejected above the rim of the crater and an ash plume rose several hundred meters.

Whether this is the beginning of a more significant eruptive phase, after a period of relative calm since the violent paroxysms of Voragine summit crater in early Dec 2015 remains to be seen.

Eruption of Etna's NE crater (INGV Catania)

Thermal image of the eruption showing incandescent material ejected from NE crater

INGV published the following report:

"During the month of January 2016, Etna's eruptive activity has maintained rather low levels. Early that month, a few weak ash emissions occurred from the 25 November 2015 vent located high on the eastern flank of the New Southeast Crater (NSEC) cone; similar phenomena were repeated during the last week of January and once more on the morning of 6 February. During the same time interval, degassing from the Northeast Crater (NEC) were sometimes accompanied by the emission of minor traces of ash.
A field survey was carried out in Etna's summit area by INGV-Osservatorio Etneo (INGV-OE) staff on 19 February. During the visit, no ash emissions occurred from the summit craters, but the NEC was the site of intense degassing from its open conduit; due to strong wind it was not possible to hear if there was any acoustic activity coming from the crater, which typically produces loud bangs and rumblings. At the other summit craters, degassing was limited to extensive fumarolic areas along the crater rims. The eruptive products of December 2015, which fill the single huge depression constituted by the Voragine and Bocca Nuova, were covered with snow except in the areas where vapors were emitted from fissures formed by compaction of the deposit.
At 03:22 UTC (=local time -1) on 23 February 2016, the video and thermal cameras of the INGV-OE recorded an explosive event at the NEC, which ejected incandescent pyroclastics to several tens of meters above the crater rim (see image at top left, recorded by the high-definition visual camera at Monte Cagliato, on the east flank of Etna - click on image for larger version) and produced a dark ash plume that was blown northeastward by strong wind. The images at center left (click on image for larger version) were recorded by the high-sensitivity camera on the Montagnola (EMOH, on the upper south flank of Etna) and also show a few lightning flashes in the ash cloud.
The images recorded by the thermal surveillance camera at Monte Cagliato (EMCT, see images at bottom left - click on image for larger version) show a conspicuous anomaly generated by the explosion, which was followed by minor ash emissions that gradually diminished; as of the late morning of 23 February, intermittent and weak ash emissions are continuing from the NEC." (INGV Catania)

Colima (Western Mexico): The new lava dome in the summit crater continues to be active (and probably is growing) as bright glow visible at night suggests.

Small emission and glow from Colima's summit crater.

Explosive activity on the other hand has decreased recently.


Reventador (Ecuador): The eruptive activity of the volcano continues with no significant changes, at moderate to high levels, as IGEPN reports on a daily basis.

Lava arrives at the summit crater where small explosive activity (probably strombolian-type) takes place. During yesterday, based on seismic data (the volcano is mostly hidden in clouds), 56 small explosions were registered. This morning, an ash emission was also detected by Washington VAAC.



Cotopaxi (Ecuador): Surface activity of the volcano has been mostly low during the past weeks, characterized by degassing / steaming and occasional very weak ash emissions.

According to IGEPN, the level of most monitored geophysical parameters (SO2, volcanic earthquakes, volcanic tremor, deformation) have returned to their pre-eruption background levels.

However, the overall seismic activity of the volcano is still elevated and some few deep-seated explosive events are being recorded (on average 1-3 / day).

Cotopaxi volcano.

This type of activity possibly indicates that a magma source remains active inside the edifice. The most likely scenario of the coming days to weeks is that surface activity remains at a low level and or continues to decrease, with intermittent small ash emissions possible that would not affect but immediate areas surrounding the volcano. However, even though much less likely now, an increase in internal and external activity of the volcano cannot be excluded either.

Although not directly connected to its activity, as a secondary effect, the risk of lahars (mud flows triggered by melt water) remains elevated.


- Volcano Discovery .

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Russia's Shiveluch Volcano Erupts Again - Releasing Plume Seven Kilometers High!

© IVS FEB RAS/Y. Demyanchuk

January 11, 2016 - RUSSIA - The Shiveluch volcano in Russia's Kamchatka erupted once again on Sunday, as the volcano's activity continues to grow, potentially leading to a major eruption.

The Shiveluch volcano in Russia's Kamchatka territory woke up on Sunday morning local time, releasing a plume seven kilometers up in the atmosphere, the Kamchatka Branch of the Russian Academy of Science's Geophysical Service said.

The Shiveluch volcano released ash plumes throughout 2015, at times releasing enough ash to carpet nearby towns. The new eruption led the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) to issue an orange warning, meaning that while a major eruption is not imminent, it is nevertheless a danger to aircraft.

"According to video data, explosions sent ash up to 7 km [above sea level] on 2153 UTC on January 09. The ash plume extended to the west-northwest of the volcano," the warning issued by KVERT said.

The volcano continues to erupt, according to the response team. Seismologists have previously predicted that the volcano's activity would continue to rise over time.

"Explosive-extrusive eruption of the volcano continues. Ash explosions up to 32,800 ft (10 km) [above sea level] could occur at any time. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft," the KVERT warning also said. - Sputnik.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Russia's Shiveluch Volcano Erupts In The Far East - Spewing Ash 5km High!

Columns of ash were raised up to five kilometers above the sea level, scientists say. © ITAR-TASS/Alexander Petrov, Archive

December 21, 2015 - RUSSIA - Lava descending from the Shiveluch volcano in Russia's Far East has raised columns of ash up to five kilometers above the sea level, scientists from the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) told TASS on Monday.

"The volcano continues erupting. Lava has descended today from the top of the Young Shiveluch. Columns of ash were raised up to five kilometers above the sea level," scientists said adding that there is no threat to settlements in the area.

The ash cloud is drifting to the east and south-east, with the plume covering the area of around 15 kilometers.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry's department in the Kamchatka region said that no ash falls were reported in the area.

An orange alert was issued over the eruption of the Shiveluch which can spew ash up to 10 kilometers above the sea level at any moment.

Airlines that fly near the Shiveluch are recommended to change their routes. There are over 150 volcanos on the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia's Far East, and up to 30 of them are active.

The Shiveluch is located some 450 kilometers (280 miles) to the north-east of the Kamchatka Peninsula's largest city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchhatsky with the population of over 181,600 people.

However, nearest residential areas are located within the distance of 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the Shiveluch, which had been regularly spewing out ash since 1980s. - TASS.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Russia's Shiveluch Volcano Erupts - Spews Ashes Over Nearby Village!

© NASA / JSC / Wikicommons

December 17, 2015 - RUSSIA - A volcano in Russia's Kamchatka region has spewed ashes, covering a local village with a thin layer of soot, the Emergency Situations Ministry said on Wednesday, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.

The ash cloud from the Shiveluch Volcano reached 6,500 meters above sea level, the ministry said in a statement, RIA Novosti reported.

The volcano is 3,283 meters high.

Winds carried ashes nearly 50 kilometers east of the volcano, reaching the village of Ust-Kamchatsk, where a 1-millimeter layer of ash fallout was registered, the report said.

The incident presented no hazards to local residents' health, the report said. - The Moscow Times.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: The Latest Report Of Volcanic Eruptions, Activity, Unrest And Awakenings – November 23-28, 2015!

Eruption of Telica volcano on November 22, 2015 (INETER webcam / annotated by Culture Volcan)

November 29, 2015 - EARTH - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe, courtesy of Volcano Discovery.


Telica (Nicaragua): After its powerful explosion on the 22nd of November, the volcano has mainly been calm, but weaker, sporadic ash emissions resumed during the past days.

Ash emission from Telica this morning

Ash emission yesterday

Ash plume from the eruption seen from Léon (Image: Canal 15 Nicaragua)

It is still thought that the recent activity is only caused by over-pressurized fluids in the upper conduit, and doesn't involve new magma, but comparing with the past episodes of explosive activity in May and September this year, it is almost likely that new, potentially strong and very dangerous explosions (in particular if you climb the volcano) could follow in the near future with no or little warning.


Batu Tara (Flores Sea, Indonesia):  We just returned from a 3-days expedition to the island during November 23-26: the volcano's activity was overall at similar levels as during the previous visits between 2012-June this year, but highly variable from day to day:

Phases lasting several hours, or even few days, with mild, ash-rich strombolian eruptions at intervals between 10-30 minutes alternated / were interrupted by much more powerful vulcanian-type explosions that produced shock waves and ejected dense columns of tephra (ash, blocks and incandescent lava bombs) in a single, cannon-shot like explosion. They sent ballistics to several hundred meters of height all over the upper half of the volcano. During the first two observation days, these explosions occurred at intervals between 3-10 hours, but became the dominant type of activity during the last 24 hours of our stay, when they occurred at shorter intervals of 1-2 hours typically.

Ash plumes from some of these explosions rose more than 1 km from the crater.


Copahue (Chile): Small to moderately strong ash emissions and explosions have been near continuous during the past days, creating steam/ash plumes that rise up to approx. 1 km. Overall, the volcano's activity seems to be gradually increasing.

Eruption plume from Copahue

Location of a landslide on the eastern flank yesterday (comparison by Lynne Gulley)

A larger landslide occurred yesterday from the eastern flank


Etna (Sicily, Italy): Since this afternoon there is a change visible in Etna's activity. Weak strombolian activity has started from the New SE crater. The activity probably started earlier today, but due to bad weather it was not observed before.

Thermal anomaly on the eastern side of the New SE crater (INGV Monte Cagliato thermal webcam)

Weak strombolian activity continues also from the vent inside the Voragine crater.

Tremor remains low at the moment.


Kanlaon (Negros Isl., Philippines): PHIVOLCS raised the alert level of the volcano following an increase in activity. Starting from 21:55 local time on November 24, a series of phreatic explosions occurred from the summit crater, producing ash plumes that rose up to approx. 1 km.

Ash emission from Canlaon volcano on November 24, 2015 (Image: Jigz Santiago)

According to PHILVOLCS, this explosive activity was followed by increased seismicity and volcanic tremor probably caused by degassing.

An exclusion zone of 4 km radius around the crater was put in place, to prevent similar accidents as when 3 climbers were killed by a sudden explosion in the 1990s.




Shiveluch (Kamchatka): The extrusive activity of viscous lava into the active dome continues with little significant change, but seems to have picked up a bit recently. Incandescent avalanches occur to both the southeast and southwest corridor.

Small pyroclastic flow into the southwestern corridor of the active lava dome of Shiveluch

Occasional larger collapses cause small to medium sized pyroclastic flows, such as one yesterday morning

Barren Island (India):  With all likelihood, the volcano continues to be in eruption. It is very remote and rarely directly observed, but satellite imagery regularly show albeit weak thermal signals - again present more or less continuously since August and more frequent since October this year.

Ash and steam plume from Barren Island on November 16 (Landsat 8 image, annotated by Culture Volcan)

MODIS thermal signal from Barren Island (MIROVA)

A satellite image from November 16 shows a volcanic plume stretching several tens of kilometers from the volcano.