Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The volcano's eruption continues with increasing and more and more frequent (every 15 minutes) explosions and pyroclastic flows from the growing lava dome. Ash plumes have been reaching 20,000 ft (6 km) altitude, run-out lengths of the pyroclastic flows approx. 2-3 km. The lava dome has now reached an estimated volume of more than 2.5 cubic million meters and a larger collapse could generate pyroclastic flows that reach considerable greater distance and destroy several villages, the Jakarta Post mentions. According to Ahmad Nabawi from the Sinabung monitoring post, 22 eruptions had occurred on Wednesday from midnight to noon. "Fortunately, the nearest villages are not situated in the path of the lava [pyroclastic flows, ann.], so the villages are safe for now,” he continued, the Jakarta post cites. The nearest villages and most at risk include Bekerah, Simacem, Sigarang-garang and Suka Meriah.

San Miguel (El Salvador): No new explosions have occurred at the volcano of Chaparrastique (San Miguel), but elevated degassing (SO2 flux estimated at about 2800 tons / day) suggests that new magma is still arriving inside the volcano and could lead to new eruptions. Authorities decided to order evacuation of additional 3,000 people from the cities of San Miguel, San Jorge, San Rafael Oriente, and Chinameca. However, it appears that a significant number of people decided to return to their homes inside the danger zones, because of the apparent (and possibly very dangerous) lack of new activity in the past few days. Analyses of ash from the 30 Dec eruption indicate that they consist of 80% juvenile material (i.e. from new magma), which supports the idea that a new magma batch has risen inside the volcano and could lead to new activity in the near future. MARN also mentions that the absence of crystals in the juvenile glass matrix of the ash indicates that the magma rose quickly, i.e. without having time to form crystals. That further adds to the need to stay on alert, because a sudden eruption might just happen again.

Suwanose-jima volcano (Ryukyu Islands, Japan): Bright glow from intense strombolian activity, or perhaps even the presence of a small lava lake or lava fountains, are visible on the JMA webcam on Nakanoshima island to the NE. VAAC Tokyo reports continuous low-level ash emissions.