April 11, 2016 - ALASKA - An earthquake with preliminary magnitude of 5.6 has been recorded near
Kiska Volcano, Alaska on 11 April 2016 20:10:35.
The earthquake
epicenter was located at precisely 109km SW of Kiska Volcano, Alaska and
at a depth of approximately 28 km.
A provisional tsunami alert have
been issued for the region following this earthquake.
Other details
about the earthquake were not immediately available, and there were no
immediate reports of damage or casualties. We will update this report as
soon as we have more information.
Below is a map showing the location of the earthquake and additional
information pertaining to the exact location of the epicenter.
Magnitude: 5.6
Location: 109km SW of Kiska Volcano, Alaska
Time in GMT: 11 April 2016 20:10:35
Latitude of Epicenter: 51.4
Longitude of Epicenter: 176.5
Depth: 28 km
March 30, 2016 - PHILIPPINES - The Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Oriental province erupted at 6:20 p.m. on
Tuesday (March 29), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (Phivolcs) said in an advisory.
The eruption that lasted for 12 minutes produced a volcanic
plume 1500 meters above the crater and a "booming sound" was heard in
some barangays near the volcano.
According to the same advisory posted on the agency's social media
account, "traces of light ashfall were reported in Sitio Guintubdan,
Brgy. Ara-al, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental."
According to Police Supt. Frankie Lugo, chief of the Canlaon
City in Negros Oriental, several fire balls, which were coming from the
crater of the volcano, started to flow following a booming sound.
A thick cloud also formed after the minor explosion but faded minutes later, Lugo said.
WATCH: Kanlaon volcano erupts.
The Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 1.
"It is at an abnormal condition and is in a period of current unrest," Phivolcs said in its advisory.
The local government units are not allowing people to enter the
four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ).
Entry is strictly
prohibited "due to the further possibilities of sudden and hazardous
steam-driven or phereatic eruptions."
Phivolcs also asked Civil Aviation authorities to advise pilots "to
avoid flying close to the volcano's summit as airborne as from a sudden
eruption can be hazardous to aircraft."
Authorities are sill monitoring the volcano's activity as of posting time.
The volcano, which has been one of the most active in the country, last erupted on December 27, 2015. - CNN.
February 28, 2016 - JAPAN - Japan's weather agency on Sunday issued an alert for the possible eruption of a volcano in the southwest of the country.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that following an increase in
noticeable seismic activity and based on recent eruptions, Mt. Io,
which spans both Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, has been issued
with a no-entry warning.
The municipal government of Ebino city has declared a no-entry zone
around the crater of Mt. Io, which is part of the Kirishima mountains,
according to the Kyodo News Agency.
JMA said the alert was issued in light of more than 30 volcanic-related temblors being recorded as of noon Sunday, following increased volcanic activity at the 1,317-meter volcano since last year, in the Kyushu region of Japan. - Xinhua.
February 23, 2016 - NICARAGUA - Disaster experts are keeping a close eye on a seismic hotspot after
three large volcanoes began erupting with fears of a fourth in the
offing.
Volcano experts from the US, UK, Costa Rica and local geologists areobserving activity at four active peaks in Nicaragua after the flurry of explosions.
The biggest, and most active, is the enormous 1,297-metre Momotombo stratovolcano, near the city of León.
A violent lava eruption of Momotombo seen from above
Momotombo, on the north of Lake Managua 25 miles from Nicaragua's capital Managua, blew for the first time in 110 years in December, and has been active ever since.
In a post about the situation Costa Rican English-speaking news site The Tico Times wrote it had sent "geologists and local townspeople into a tizzy"
It added:"In fact, there's been so much volcanic and seismic
activity in Nicaragua lately that experts from the United States, the
United Kingdom, Nicaragua and Costa Rica are carefully studying and
observing the situation."
Geologists from the US Geological Survey announced last week they are
studying and assessing risks from Momotombo and the other active
volcanoes in the country.
Both Télica and Masaya began erupting at the same time as Momotombo, and continue to do so.
Meanwhile, Cerro Negro, which has so far not erupted,recorded bursts of seismic activity last week. - Express.
February 22, 2016 - ICELAND - The Great Geysir, Iceland's most famous hot spring, which has given the
name to geysers all over the world, erupted yesterday. This rare event
was captured on camera.
Halldóra Eldon, who works at Hótel Geysir was at work when she noticed
an unusual amount of steam rising from Geysir. "It was just by chance
that I was looking out of the window. I decided to walk outside and it
started erupting."
She says it's a very unusual sight although staff of the hotel saw the
geyser erupt twice last summer. "I've worked here for two years and I
never saw this happening before."
Earthquakes have been shown to revive the activity of Geysir and records
from 1630 show that it erupted violently many times that year. Until
1896 however the hot spring was almost dormant before an earthquake that
year caused eruptions to begin again, several times a day.
In 1935 a man-made channel was dug through the rim which caused a
revival in activity, but gradually the channel became clogged with
silica making eruptions once again rare. In 1981 the channel was cleared
and eruptions were simulated on special occasions by the additon of
soaps, something later discouraged because of environmental concerns.
An earthquake in the year 2000 revived the geyser again and an eruption
took place for two days straight, reaching 122 metres in height. In the
last decade, eruptions have decreased considerably and it is now
considered almost inactive.
February 16, 2016 - NICARAGUA - The Telica and Momotombo volcanoes are two stratovolcanoes in Nicaragua.
On February 13, 2016 both erupted within two hours. Enhanced volcanic activity in the region.
According to the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies (INETER),
the Telica volcano, located in the Leon department, erupted at 8:28 a.m.
Saturday morning, launching a column of ash and gas some 1,000 meters
(3,280 feet) into the air.
At least 20 smaller eruptions were
recorded at the volcano in the subsequent hours. Ashfall was reported in
some nearby communities.
About two hours after the first explosion at Telica, the
Momotombo volcano - which had been essentially dormant for 100 years
before exploding to life in December- launched a column of ash and gas more than 1,600 feet (500 meters) into the air.
February 13, 2016 - NICARAGUA - Two relatively small explosions occurred yesterday at the volcano, one at around 02:20 and another at 11:15 local time.
They ejected incandescent material onto the upper flank of the cone
and produced ash plumes that quickly dissipated into westerly
directions.
According to INETER, the activity was accompanied by a
threefold increase in volcanic tremor and preceded by a significant
increase in SO2 output from approx. 600 to over 1000 tons per day
between 9 and 11 February.
Most likely, the eruptions were the result of a new magma batch
rising inside the volcano and more explosions could follow in the near
future.
Momotombo volcano is a symmetrical stratovolcano rising as a peninsula
above the NW part of Lake Managua, Nicaragua. It is one of the most
known volcanoes of the country.
Momotombo is located at the SE end of the Marrabios Range. It
consists of the remnant of an older volcano which now forms a somma
ridge on the southern part and a young symmetrical cone that is less
than 4500 years old and contains a 150 x 250 m wide summit crater. Young
lava flows from Momotombo have flown down the NW flank into the
4-km-wide Monte Galán caldera.
There have been frequent small ash eruptions that were reported by
explorers in the past century, but the volcano has been dormant for more
than 100 years now. At the moment, the activity consists of active
high-temperature fumaroles and gas and steam emission.
A major geothermal field is located on the southern flank of the volcano.
- Volcano Discovery.
February 12, 2016 - EARTH - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe.
Colima (Mexico): The volcano continues to produce intermittent explosions, but there
might be something new in the making: weak, but continuous glow from the
crater has appeared during the last night, something that hasn't been
observed since the latest effusive eruptive phase in July last year.
Glow from Colima's summit crater this morning.
Washington VAAC reported that during 3-8 February ash plumes from Colima
rose to altitudes of 4.9-6.7 km (16,000-22,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted
75-140 km in multiple directions. (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic
Activity Report 3-9 February 2016)
It could indicate that a new lava dome is about to appear. The next days or weeks will probably give a better answer.
WATCH: Time-lapse video.
Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The volcano continues to produce small to moderate vulcanian explosions at rates of a few per day, typically.
February 10, 2016 - EARTH - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe.
Fuego (Guatemala): A new paroxysm (the 3rd this year) is occurring at the volcano.
Over the past days, strombolian and effusive activity had gradually
increased into now pulsating lava fountains and well-alimented lava
flows.
The latter are mostly traveling down the southeastern flank into the
large Las Lajas canyon where they have reached approx. 2 km length.
Another flow seems to be active on the southern slope towards the
Trinidad drainage.
MODIS thermal signal from Fuego (MIROVA)
Most likely this activity will result in pyroclastic flows, as parts of the lava flows on the steep slope tend to collapse.
Sakurajima (Japan): It seems that the volcano is back to its typical activity of
intermittent explosions at irregular intervals mostly ranging between
few hours or even days. Following the explosion on 5 Feb, several
others, mostly weaker ones, have occurred during the past days. Ash
plumes recorded rose to 5-10,000 ft (1.5-3 km) altitude.
Small explosion at Sakurajima.
JMA published a report
(in Japanese) which shows that the decrease of activity which started
to be noticeable last summer and led to the apparent pause in explosions
Oct - Jan seems to correlate with a change in deformation. Around
August, the year-long steady inflation stopped and changed to rapid
deflation over a few weeks' period. This trend stopped and inflation
began again around October.
Thermal images of Sakurajima's craters (Kita-dake, l, and Showa crater,
r) between December 2, 2015 (bottom) and February 6, 2016 (top) showing the presence of
elevated temperatures in the Showa crater Feb (JMA)
Deformation plots of several GPS stations (JMA)
A comparison of thermal images of the crater between 2 December 2015
and 6 February show elevated temperatures in the Showa crater, likely
because of the presence of magma in the conduit closer to the surface.
Zhupanovsky (Kamchatka): Activity of the volcano has picked up again recently. Several explosions
occurred during the past days at the volcano, generating ash plumes
that rose to approx. 22,000 ft (7 km) altitude and drifted ESE.
Ash plume (its deposit on snow) from Zhupanovsky.
On a satellite image from this morning, the darker trace of ash from
Zhupanovsky (and from nearby Karymsky volcano) is clearly visible on
white snow covering Kamchatka at the moment.
Karymsky (Kamchatka): Explosions at the volcano have been relatively frequent recently and often intense enough to be detected on satellite imagery, monitored by Tokyo's VAAC (Volcanic Ash Advisory Center).
Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern volcanic zone,
is a symmetrical stratovolcano constructed within a 5-km-wide caldera
that formed during the early Holocene. The caldera cuts the south side
of the Pleistocene Dvor volcano and is located outside the north margin
of the large mid-Pleistocene Polovinka caldera, which contains the
smaller Akademia Nauk and Odnoboky calderas.
Most seismicity
preceding Karymsky eruptions originated beneath Akademia Nauk caldera,
which is located immediately south of Karymsky volcano. The caldera
enclosing Karymsky volcano formed about 7600-7700 radiocarbon years ago;
construction of the Karymsky stratovolcano began about 2000 years
later. The latest eruptive period began about 500 years ago, following a
2300-year quiescence. Much of the cone is mantled by lava flows less
than 200 years old. Historical eruptions have been vulcanian or
vulcanian-strombolian with moderate explosive activity and occasional
lava flows from the summit crater.
February 9, 2016 - PERU - Peru's typically snow-capped El Misti volcano, also known as Putina,is showing signs of awakening from a period of relative slumber that goes back to the 15th century.
While gas emissions have occurred since eruptions around 1440 and 1470,the volcano is now showing signs of rising magma.
El Misti is considered the most dangerous volcano in Peru, with about 1 million people around Arequipa under threat. - Earthweek.
January 28, 2016 - AZERBAIJAN - One of the largest volcanoes of Azerbaijan, Akhtarma Pashali awoke in the country's Hajigabul region on the night of January 25.
The first eruption occurred at 07:20, when the fire rose to 120-150
meters in the air. The second was fixed 10 minutes later, when the fire
rose to a height of 20 meters. The total area of the lava spill was
200-250 square meters.
The mud volcano has ceased erupting, according to the Chairman of the
regional emergency commission Sahib Aslanov. No victims were reported,
as no settlements are located around the area.
Akhtarma Pashali is located in 35 kilometers of the city of Shirvan. The
diameter of the crater is approximately 10 square kilometers.
Aslanov emphasized the last eruption of this mud volcano occurred in
1963, while the first eruption of the volcano was reported in 1948.
Mud volcanoes are a fairly widespread geological phenomenon and over a thousand mud volcanoes are known to exist in the world.
The dissemination of mud volcanoes usually indicates the existence of
large oil and gas basins, therefore oil and gas-rich Azerbaijan ranks
first in the number of mud volcanoes in the world. The territory of
Azerbaijan places 344 mud volcanoes and 133 of them are located in the
country's Caspian Sea section.
The world's largest mud volcanoes such as Boyuk Khanizadagh and
Turaghai are both located in Azerbaijan. Boyuk Khanizadagh, the diameter
and height of which are 10km and 700 meters respectively, erupted in
2001, shooting out flames 300 meters in the air. It was the highest
record for flames shot from a mud volcano.
Azerbaijan's rich fields of oil and gas condensate such as Lokbatan,
Garadagh, Oil Rocks, and Mishovdag were discovered near mud volcanoes.
The lava, mud, and liquid spewed by mud volcanoes are used as raw
materials for chemical and construction industries, as well as
pharmacology. - AzerNews.
Misti, also known as Putina or Wawa Putina (Guagua Putina) is a stratovolcano located in southern Peru near the city of Arequipa. Wikipedia.
January 28, 2016 - PERU - The last eruption of great magnitude at Misti was 2,000 years ago, informs Peru's volcano authority.
The iconic symbol of Arequipa, the Misti volcano, that gazes over the southern Peruvian city has long been considered 'asleep.'
However, studies by the Southern Volcano Observatory (OVS, Spanish acronym), reveal that it is awake and emitting gases, informs Publimetro.
It is currently considered the greatest risk in the South American country, as thousands of habitants reside near its crater.
Location of the volcano. Wikipedia.
"The gases that Misti emits are magmatic. This confirms that the volcano is active and is not sleeping, as many people think," VS engineer, Luisa Macedo, told AFP over the phone from Arequipa, according to Publimetro.
The volcano is located only 17 kilometers from the city.
The engineer informed that four weeks ago a group of researchers from
OVS took images of the Misti crater. With their investigation were able
to identify magmatic activity.
"The gases reach 500 meters and contain sulfuric acid, carbon and
calcium," said Macedo. He informed that the distance prevents the nearby
communities being affected by the emissions.
Another OVS specialist, Domingo Ramos, explained that although the
volcano is active, it does not necessarily mean there is danger of a
hazardous eruption.
- Peru This Week.
Evacuation ordered as volcano on Flores rumbles to life.
January 15, 2016 - INDONESIA - Residents living around the base of Indonesia's Mount Egon were ordered
to evacuate as the Flores Island volcano began to rumble because of
rising magma.
A 2-mile exclusion zone was established around the 4,487-foot volcano,
which last erupted in 2008, forcing more than 10,000 people to flee.
Egon is the only one of six volcanoes in Indonesia currently on an alert level of 3 or 4 that is not currently erupting.
The vast archipelago has 127 active volcanoes, more than any other country on the planet. - Earthweek.
The cone of Momotombo volcano covered by glowing bombs from this morning's eruption
January 5, 2016 - NICARAGUA - A strong explosion occurred this morning at 04:22 local time at the
volcano, covering much of the summit cone with incandescent ejecta.
The lava flow effusion and continuous strombolian activity had stopped
in early December, followed by only high-temperature degassing, sporadic
minor explosions and the growth of what might have been a small lava
dome.
A more intense phase of activity seems to have started yesterday.
Early on 2 January, small ash emissions occurred, followed by more,
still weak explosions in the early afternoon of yesterday.
The strong explosion this morning might have involved a small
pyroclastic flow on the NE side of the volcano, reaching about 1.5-2 km
length.
WATCH: Eruption at Momotombo.
Whether or not this activity is sign of a new batch of
magma arriving at the vent, and leading up to more intense activity to
come, or result of more superficial processes, e.g. surface pressure
released beneath the recently emplaced lava occupying the summit is
unclear.
No damages were reported to have occurred from this morning's explosion. - Volcano Discovery.
December 28, 2015 - THE PHILIPPINES - Kanlaon Volcano in Negros spewed ash again on Sunday afternoon.
The
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the
eruption lasted for five minutes.
It said the ash eruption started at
1:29 p.m. and ended at 1:34 p.m. Phivolcs said the gray ash spewed by
Kanlaon was 3,281 feet.
The latest activity was accompanied by an "explosion type earthquake
with rumbling sound," it added. In its bulletin on Kanlaon issued at 8
a.m., Phivolcs said it recorded six volcanic earthquakes from 8 a.m. of
December 26 to 8 a.m. of December 27.
"Emission of moderate white steam plumes, 50 meters in height from the
summit crater that drifted southwest, was observed," the bulletin added.
Alert Level 1 remains raised over the volcano, which means it is in a
period of unrest.
It said reminded concerned local government units in Negros that "entry
into the 4-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone is strictly prohibited
due to the further possibilities of sudden and hazardous steam-driven
or phreatic eruptions."
It added: "Civil aviation authorities must also advise pilots to avoid
flying close to the volcano's summit as airborne ash from a sudden
eruption can be hazardous to aircraft." - GMA News.
December 11, 2015 - THE PHILIPPINES - An ash eruption occurred at Kanlaon Volcano early morning on Friday, the
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
In a bulletin posted 8 a.m., Phivolcs said in the past 24 hours, four volcanic earthquakes were recorded, two of which were accompanied by a low-energy ash eruption.
The ash eruption occurred at 5:13 a.m. and lasted for a minute based on visual observation.
"This produced a grayish to dirty-white cloud of ash reaching a height
of 600 [meters] which then drifted southwest," Phivolcs said.
Traces of ash were observed on the southwest slope of the volcano along San Jose, La Castellana, it added.
Alert Level 1 is still hoisted over Kanlaon Volcano, as it remains in an
abnormal condition and is in a period of current unrest.
The Phivolcs reminded local government units (LGUs) and the public that
entry into the 4-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone is strictly
prohibited "due to the further possibilities of sudden and hazardous
steam-driven or phreatic eruptions."
It said civil aviation authorities should also advise pilots to avoid
flying close to the volcano's summit, warning that airborne ash from a
sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft. - ABS-CBN News.
December 6, 2015 - GUATEMALA - An active volcano in Guatemala has entered a new eruptive phase, sending
huge lava fountains into the air.
With no evacuation measures
announced, people living in the area have been able to capture
breathtaking images of the volcano and share them with the world.Volcan
de Fuego - which translates as "the volcano of fire" - is located some
50 kilometers (31 miles) from the capital, Guatemala City.
The volcano is experiencing a new peak in activity, with lava and smoke erupting from its crater, and ash covering the surrounding areas, AFP reported, citing the Guatemala Institute of Volcanology.
The Fuego volcano is in a phase of high activity. Since Sunday morning the largest increase has been observed, [this] being the beginning of a new eruption," the institute said in a special bulletin.
Lava fountains reached as high as 250-300 meters (up to almost 1,000 feet) above the crater, sending lava flows to a distance of up to 2,000 meters (6560 feet).
The eruption is accompanied by strong explosions, observers added, saying that they are causing shock waves in the area.
The Fuego is also sending volcanic ash high into the air, with ash plumes reaching a height of some 4,800 meters (3 miles) above sea level.
The ash is then traveling to the west and southwest from the volcano at a speed of over 13 kilometers (8 miles) per hour.
Ashfall on several villages located near the volcano’s slopes has already been reported.
So far it has not been necessary to evacuate people, monitors said.
The powerful new eruption might increase even further, scientists said, recommending the implementation of a yellow state of alert.
WATCH: Guatemala issues alert over erupting Fuego volcano.
Air traffic control has also been warned that the ash is traveling high into the air.
While scientists continue to monitor the volcano, posting webcam images of the Fuego, some locals have shared their own photos of the eruption under a hashtag translated as "good things about my country."
The Fuego has already had a huge eruption this month, forcing an evacuation in nearby populated areas. In February, authorities had to close Guatemala airport due to powerful Fuego activity.
The "Volcano of Fire" is a stratovolcano – also known as a composite volcano - which has been continuously active since 1999.
It's typical activity includes dozens of small-scale daily eruptions. More intense bursts have been observed several times this year. - RT.
December 3, 2015 - NICARAGUA - Thousands of people in Nicaragua have been asked to evacuate an area of
about four miles surrounding the Momotombo volcano after it erupted for
the first time in 110 years spewing lava, ashes and smoke.
"The seismic tremor is increasing and in the volcano's crater there are
explosions every four seconds," said Wilfried Strauch, a scientific
adviser for the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies or INETER.
Strauch said that scientists at INETER have detected a flow of
lava in the depths of the volcano and that it is overflowing toward the
northern end of it.
The institute said activity could continue to increase and recommended
the local population to move away at least four miles from the
Momotombo.
The volcano, which has an altitude of close to 1,300 meters or 4,265
feet, is located in the northern side of the Managua or Xolotlan lake.
WATCH: Momotombo erupts.
The volcano last erupted in 1905. In 1610, the Momotombo erupted so fiercely it forced the city of Leon to move.
The INETER said that the volcano on this occasion has spewed ashes over 3,280 feet into the air.
This Wednesday, the volcano also spewed red hot lava, a day after it emitted gas and ash.
A government spokesperson said that the lava was headed toward areas that are sparsely populated. - TeleSUR TV.
December 2, 2015 - NICARAGUA - Momotombo volcano in Nicaragua reported first eruptions in the
last 110 years on the morning (local time) of December 1, 2015. The
eruptions produced steam and ash plumes rising up to 1 km (3 281 feet).
Four small explosions occurred at the volcano at 07:49, 08:17, 08:42 and
08:55 am (local time), Volcano Discovery reported. The last of the
eruptions was the largest and sent a plume of ash and steam high above
the crater.
The communities of El Papalonal and in the vicinity of the Momotombo
geothermal plant situated SW of the volcano summit reported light ash
fall. A team of volcanologists from the Nicaraguan Institute of
Territorial Studies (INETER) surveyed the area and took samples of ash
and gasses.
This is the first time the volcano showed the signs of eruptive activity
since 1905, and only 16 eruptions have been recorded since 1524, most
of which have been small explosions of phreatic nature. The only two
larger eruptions were observed in 1605 and 1609 when large bombs and
blocks were expelled to the distances of approximately 6 km (19 685
feet), in the area of the nowadays abandoned town of León Viejo.
According to the scientists the volcano explosions has not been
triggered by the increased activity of the nearby Telica volcano over
the last few weeks.
WATCH: Volcanic explosion at Momotombo.
Geological summary
Momotombo is a young, 1297-m-high stratovolcano that rises prominently
above the NW shore of Lake Managua, forming one of Nicaragua's most
familiar landmarks. Momotombo began growing about 4500 years ago at the
SE end of the Marrabios Range and consists of a somma from an older
edifice that is surmounted by a symmetrical younger cone with a 150 x
250 m wide summit crater. Young lava flows from Momotombo have flowed
down the NW flank into the 4-km-wide Monte Galán caldera.
The youthful cone of Momotombito forms a 391-m-high island offshore in
Lake Managua. Momotombo has a long record of strombolian eruptions,
punctuated by occasional larger explosive activity. The latest eruption,
in 1905, produced a lava flow that traveled from the summit to the
lower NE base. A small black plume was seen above the crater after an
April 10, 1996 earthquake, but later observations noted no significant
changes in the crater. A major geothermal field is located on the
southern flank of the volcano. - The Watchers.
December 2, 2015 - GUATEMALA - Santiaguito, an active dome of the Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala
produced a large explosion on the morning (local time) of December 1,
2015, following a period of heightened activity. An active volcano watch
and the necessary precautions for air traffic in the area have been
recommended.
A period of increased activity of Santiaguito volcano since November 29
resulted in a strong explosion in the early hours of December 1. The
explosion produced a plume of ash between 2 and 3 km (6 562 and 9 843
feet) high most likely accompanied by a small pyroclastic flow, Volcano
Discovery reported.
A powerful explosion occurred at 07:07 am (local time) and a pyroclastic
flow traveled about 15 km (9.3 miles) west-southwest. The ashes have
been reported to fall near the St. Marcos Palajunoj, Finca La Florida
and other adjacent villages, according to INSIVUMEH.
Several explosions have been reported over the last few days from the
Caliente lava dome, significantly stronger than average. A moderately
strong explosion was observed on November 30 at 01:34, which ejected
incandescent bombs up to 150 m (492 feet) above the volcano dome.
WATCH: Santiaguito erupts.
A
large incandescent avalanche has also been observed on the eastern side
of the Caliente dome.
On October 30 heavy rainfall in the area triggered cold lahars which
descended Santa María's Cabello de Ángel (a tributary of Nima I) and San
Isidro (tributary of El Tambor) drainages, INSIVUMEH reported. The
lahar in San Isidro carried blocks that were between 1 and 2 m (3.3 and
6.6 feet) in diameter. In the period between October 30 and 31
explosions generated ash plumes that rose 800 m (2 625 feet) above the
crater and drifted SW, causing ashfall in southern Monte Claro. Ash
plumes from explosions rose as high as 1.1 km (3 609 feet) and drifted
SE during November 2 and 3. The ash fell in the southwestern flank of
Finca El Faro, 5 km (16 404 feet) to the south of La Florida, 10 km (32
808 feet) to the southwest of San Marcos and 18 km (59 055 feet) to the
south-southwest of Palajunoj.
INSIVUMEH has recommended an active volcano watch of the activities of
volcanoes Pacaya, Fuego and Santiaguito and taking the necessary
precautions with air traffic in the region, as the ash from eruptions is
present in the atmosphere.
Geological summary
Symmetrical, forest-covered Santa María volcano is one of the most
prominent of a chain of large stratovolcanoes that rises dramatically
above the Pacific coastal plain of Guatemala. The 3772-m-high
stratovolcano has a sharp-topped, conical profile that is cut on the SW
flank by a large, 1.5-km-wide crater. The oval-shaped crater extends
from just below the summit to the lower flank and was formed during a
catastrophic eruption in 1902.
The renowned plinian eruption of 1902 that devastated much of SW
Guatemala followed a long repose period after construction of the large
basaltic-andesite stratovolcano. The massive dacitic Santiaguito
lava-dome complex has been growing at the base of the 1902 crater since
1922. Compound dome growth at Santiaguito has occurred episodically from
four westward-younging vents, the most recent of which is Caliente.
Dome growth has been accompanied by almost continuous minor explosions,
with periodic lava extrusion, larger explosions, pyroclastic flows, and
lahars. (GVP) - The Watchers.
