Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Another paroxysm occurred from the New SE crater during the night. Following a period of increasing strombolian activity, large lava fountains were rising from vent in the saddle between the old and new SE crater as well its summit vent. Activity at the Voragine crater continues with an impressive glow at night.

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): Several (3 or 4) relatively larg collapses of the lava dome occurred today between between 05:00 and 06:30 (GMT). The events triggered pyroclastic flows which traveled through the valley between the active dome and a relict flank of an older dome to the east. The largest flow reached about 4 km distance. Ash plumes from the flows rose to an altitude of 14,000 ft (4.3 km) and drifted east.

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The volcano remains quite productive, with no less than 5 vulcanian explosions recorded yesterday by Tokyo VAAC. The largest produced a plume rising to 10,000 ft (3 km) altitude.

Tangkubanparahu (West Java): Eruptive activity has started in the form of intermittent ash explosions from the crater since 4 March. So far, the explosions were small and phreatic in origin (no fresh magma involved, caused by overheated groundwater), according to Surono, head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) in Bandung. Explosions continued yesterday and today with an increasing trend. One today lasted 8 minutes and produced an ash plume several hundred meters high, which caused some panic among people near the crater.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): Activity remains stable. The volcano produces on average about 1 emission per hour, sometimes with small ash plumes. Glow remains visible at night.

Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): The activity has remained more or less similar over the past weeks. Weak to moderate ash explosions from the dome occur 1-2 times an hour on average, with plumes reaching up to about 800 m above the dome. The viscous block lava flows on the flanks of the dome remain weakly active, mainly those to the south and southeast.

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity has calmed down to normal mild strombolian activity with incandescent bursts reaching 100 m above the crater and generating small glowing avalanches. No lava flows were reported active.

Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): The volcano experienced a phase of increase tremor and small quakes yesterday, probably related to some magma intrusion at depth, which resulted in increased SO2 emissions.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): Activity is on the increase, both internally (seismic) and at the surface. Constant ash emissions generate a plume rising on average 500 m, interrupted by stronger explosions that produced plumes up to 1.5 km high, drifting mostly to the west. A hot spot at the summit is visible on satellite data, indicating the fresh magma that is arriving there.

Nyiragongo (DRCongo): A large SO2 plume drifting SW was visible on today's satellite data, suggesting that the lava lake is well active.