Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Niigata-Yake-yama (Honshu): A very small (presumably phreatic) eruption took place at the volcano during the past days. A small fresh ash deposit was detected on an overflight by JMA on 6 May on the upper eastern crater flank.

Bagana (Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea): Mild explosive activity continues to occur at the volcano. In recent days, reports of small ash plumes have become more frequent. A thermal hot spot is visible on satellite imagery as well. This morning, VAAC Darwin reported an ash plume at flight level 70 (7,000 ft / 2.1 km altitude) extending 100 km to the west.

Dukono (Halmahera): The activity at the volcano remains unchanged, but intense. Ash plumes at low altitudes extending over 100 km into various directions can be observed on satellite imagery almost every day.

Santiaguito (Guatemala): The activity of the volcano remains at elevated levels. The rate of magma rising into the Caliente lava dome has been the highest during its ongoing activity in recent years. Essentially effusive (rising viscous magma into the dome), it produces continuous rockfalls mainly on the eastern side of the dome, as well as intermittent small to strong explosions and collapse events. Another particularly strong explosion and/or partial dome collapse occurred early on Friday (6 May) morning, shortly before 5 am (local time). It generated an impressive ash plume that rose to 5 km altitude and produced ash fall in up to 50 km downwind to the SE, including the town of San Antonio Suchitepequez. A pyroclastic flow traveled down the western side of the dome.

Fuego (Guatemala): Another paroxysm (the 7th in 2016) occurred during 6-7 May at the volcano and has now ended. Similar to the previous such episode during 13-14 April, it produced small pulsating lava fountains and a lava flow that descended 1000 m into the Las Lajas ravine on the upper SE flank, but generated no pyroclastic flows. The eruption lasted 32 hours according to INSIVUMEH.