Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The alert level was downgraded back to 3 (out of 5) last Tuesday as signs of unrest and the risk of a sudden major explosion have decreased. No rapid crustal movements have been detected since 17 August, suggesting that the inferred magma intrusion has stopped and is now stagnating & cooling instead of migrating further towards the surface. The volcano continues to be unusually calm with only minor explosions and ash emissions occurring occasionally from the Showa crater.

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): The eruption continues at weak intensity. As of yesterday, only one vent, a cone about 20 m high, remained active producing pulsating fountain-like strombolian explosions of bursting lava bubbles that reach 15-20 m height. The lava flows approx. 50 m through a tube and then forms a flow extending about 1 km to the south, with an average thickness of 2-3 meters. The front of the flow was not moving yesterday.