Volcanos

Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity for the week of 29 May - 4 June 2019

Colima | Mexico : Centro Universitario de Estudios e Investigaciones de Vulcanologia - Universidad de Colima reported that during 25-31 May small explosions and intermittent steam-and-gas emissions mainly from the NE side of the crater continued to be recorded. During overflights conducted during 23-24 May scientists observed that the new feature (a crack or cavity) reported the previous week had become a hole due to the combination of excavation due to explosions and probable subsidence. The maximum temperature recorded with a portable thermal camera was 252 degrees Celsius, an increase of 80 degrees since recorded on 1 May.

Etna | Sicily (Italy) : INGV reported that at 0220 on 30 May a fissure opened at the N base of Etna’s NSEC at about 3,150 m elevation. The fissure produced Strombolian explosions and a lava flow that advanced towards the W wall of the Valle del Bove; by 0915 it had reached 2,050 m elevation near Monte Simone. The flow was 2 km in length. Two fissures opened a few hours later at the SE base of NSEC at an elevation of about 3,050 m, each producing lava flows that converged and traveled along the W wall of the Valle del Bove towards Serra Giannicola Grande, partially covering the 2018 lava flows. The flow reached 2,260 m elevation by 0915. The fissure activity was accompanied by ash emissions which were intense starting at 1150 but then decreased and almost stopped late in the evening. The lava flow reached the bottom of the valley in the early hours of 31 May and had a length of about 3 km. INGV volcanologists confirmed that lava continued to effuse from both fissures during a visual inspection in the morning of 1 June and that vigorous spatter was occurring at a fissure on the SE base of NSEC. By 1930 the lava flow from the N base was no longer being fed and was cooling. During a visual inspection of the eruption site on 2 June volcanologists confirmed explosive activity at a fissure segment at 2,850 m and continuing lava effusion. The lava traveled along the W wall of the Valle del Bove, overlapping flows from previous days.

Great Sitkin | Andreanof Islands (USA) : A small steam explosion at Great Sitkin was detected in seismic data at 2140 on 1 June, prompting AVO to raise the Aviation colour Code to Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level to Advisory. Low-level seismic activity was elevated just before and after the event.

Kurikomayama | Honshu (Japan) : JMA raised the Alert Level for Kurikomayama to 1 (the lowest level on a 5-level scale) on 30 May due to an undescribed potential for increased activity at the crater.

Midagahara | Honshu (Japan) : JMA raised the Alert Level for Midagahara to 1 (the lowest level on a 5-level scale) on 30 May due to an undescribed potential for increased activity at the crater.

Sinabung | Indonesia : PVMBG reported that white plumes from Sinabung rose as high as 500 m above the summit during 31 May-4 June. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4), with a general exclusion zone of 3 km and extensions to 5 km on the SE sector and 4 km in the NE sector.