Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): A moderately strong vulcanian explosion occurred yesterday morning at 11:17 local time, producing a mushroom-shaped ash plume that rose approx. 3 km above the summit and dispersed in westerly directions. Today, the volcano has been mostly calm with only minor emissions mainly of steam and gas. The activity of the volcano itself has been very stable over the past months and at overall low to medium levels only; while lava is slowly accumulating in the summit crater, this growth of the lava dome is occasionally interrupted by explosions such as this one.

Semeru (East Java, Indonesia): Access to the mountain was closed after a 26 year-old Swiss climber has been missing for 10 days now since he climbed the volcano on 3 June. The young man who climbed the volcano without a guide was reported missing by a travel companion who had been in a different location for a few days and could notice his absence only 3 days later. Despite intense efforts, local search-and-rescue teams have so far been unsuccessful to locate the young man. It can only be speculated about his fate, but chances of his survival seem dwindling. The most likely causes for the accident are lost orientation on the mountain during ascent or descent, or perhaps falling into one of the difficult-to-access steep ravines draining on the volcano's steep slopes.