Increased Seismic Activity in Iceland’s Katla Volcano ICELAND
21.06.2012

Increased seismic activity was detected in Mýrdalsjökull glacier in south Iceland, under which the volcano Katla lies, last night. Twenty-six minor earthquakes were picked up by sensors, all of which had their epicenter within the Katla crater.

A seismic activity expert on watch at the Icelandic Meteorological Office informed ruv.is that the earthquake swarm had started at 1 am and continued through 5 am.

However, there is no reason to be concerned about an imminent volcanic eruption or glacial outburst in Katla. The earthquakes were all shallow and originated in seismic activity in the geothermal system.

http://icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/Increased_Seismic...

2012-06-21 11:11:06.0 67.07 N 18.20 W 1 3.3 ICELAND REGION
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=274518

JUNE 23, JAPAN, MT.FUJI VOLCANO

2.8M EQ UNDER MT.FUJI VOLCANO

A 2.8 magnitude earthquake was reported under the Mt. Fuji volcano on the 24th of June. Mt. Fuji last erupted in 1707, but the volcano began showing signs of growing unrest this year - indication it is waking up from its long slumber as we reported. On June 20, 2012, a rare anvil or hat-shaped cloud appeared near Mount Fuji after a strong typhoon swept through Japan. The cloud, called “tsurushi-gumo,” or hanging cloud, was seen on Wednesday morning. The phenomenon occurs when winds around Mount Fuji become strong, or after tropical storms. But experts say such clouds rarely appear at this time of the year. The cloud disappeared after about 30 minutes when the sky became overcast. Source1, Source2

Colombia Closes Another Airport Due to Volcanic Ash (June 20) -

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20120620-710884.html

Colombia's government has closed a second airport after the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Washington issued an ash cloud advisory for the Nevado Del Ruiz Volcano, which Colombian authorities have been saying for weeks is probably getting ready to erupt.

An official with the civil aviation authority Aerocivil said the Matecana Airport in the city of Pereira was closed Wednesday "as a precaution" due to continued ash clouds in Colombia's central, coffee-growing region, located just west of the volcano. The nearby Nubia airport in Manizales has been closed since the beginning of June after the Ruiz Volcano began rumbling and spewing gas and ash.

Hundreds of flights have already been canceled, suspended or diverted due to closing of the airport in Manizales.

Airlines affected by the airport closures include Avianca, the main carrier in the airline group AviancaTaca Holding SA (PFAVTA.BO), Lan Colombia, part of the Chilean flagship carrier LAN Airlines SA (LFL, LAN.SN), and Copa Colombia, part of the Panamanian airline group Copa Holdings (CPA).

For the past few weeks, Avianca and Lan Colombia had been flying their Manizales-bound passengers to Pereira, then shutting them by bus to their final destination. A representative at Avianca reservations department said the new plan is to send all Manizales and Pereira passengers to an airport in the town of Armenia, and then put them on buses.

Last week, Avianca's press office said the costs to the airline stemming from the volcanic ash have been "significant," but declined to disclose a dollar-figure estimate. Representatives at the press office were unavailable for comment Wednesday.

JUNE 24, EL HIERRO VOLCANO

New Seismic swarm at El Hierro volcano:

At El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain, a new earthquake swarm seems to have started late tonight.  The strongest earthquake being a M 3.1

Source

In addition to Sevan's post Eathquakes El Hierro june 25

http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/25/el-hierro-canary-islands-sp...

Jun 28 : El Hierro Volcano : Green and Yellow alert – 77 earthquakes since midnight UTC

Update 28/06 – 08:45 UTC
- New Rapid and Ultra-Rapid GPS deformation data from Prof. Sagiya from the University of Nagoya, Japan show a further increase in deformations at the FRON and PINA stations. Other stations like JULA, REST and SABI remain  unchanged. VALV station shows only a horizontal deformation. IGN does also follow these deformations but has decided to stop publishing them (in 2011, these data were part of the El Hierro public site and refreshed with a delay of 1 to 2 days).  Deformations are one of the many parameters volcanologists are following to predict eruptions and possible changes in the volcanic process.

Update 28/06 – 07:55 UTC
- At least the people of El Hierro must have had a good night sleep as the strength of the earthquakes decreased seriously the last 7 hours. But … only the strong earthquakes were more or less silent at night.
- So far today IGN has listed 39 earthquakes since midnight,  a little less than the preceding days, but still a high number.
- Harmonic Tremor has restarted strongly since 05:35 this morning, showing us that the volcanic process is still continuing strongly. As we have experienced the last couple of days, the current HT may refer to a new migration of the epicenters
- The strongest earthquake since midnight was a M2.8 earthquake. NO earthquakes since midnight have been marked as felt by the people. At ER we think that Felt or no felt indications are far from reality as most people do not indicate slight tremors anymore after having experienced stronger ones. Aftershocks in general are less documented. Only nations like Japan, USA and New Zealand are drilled to report whatever they have felt.
- The depth did not show a lot of difference since midnight with values in between 17.6 and 22.9 km
- The epicenter of the earthquakes since midnight remains the El Julan – La Dehesa area of the island
- We certainly expect more earthquakes to come today as the process continues in full strength.
- What can change the process fundamentally ? Our readers should watch the following elements in the current process with more focus than the rest : Depth of the earthquakes (changes towards a depth of 15 km or less can be triggers of new events, sudden change in the strength of the earthquakes,  the locations of the epicenters (these locations are important in relation to the conduits of the recent eruption)

- Another very active day with a lot of earthquakes which have been felt by the people. The strongest so far this year was a M4 at 18:55 UTC.

Source

JULY 1, COLOMBIA, NEVADO DEL RUIZ VOLCANO

Colombia volcano erupts, prompts evacuations

Colombia evacuated people from communities close to the Nevado del Ruiz volcano after an eruption on Saturday that spewed smoke and ash from its crater, bringing back memories of avalanches that in 1985 buried tens of thousands under rocks.

President Juan Manuel Santos said on his Twitter account that the area around the Nevado del Ruiz, in the central spine of Colombia's Andean mountain range, had been put on red alert and people should leave the area.

Even as volcanic activity began to subside, emergency services urged 4,800 residents in Caldas and nearby Tolima province to get to safety, according to Carlos Ivan Marquez, who heads the security effort. The volcano is about 110 miles west of the capital Bogota.

Source

NEWS:- 01.07.2012 - An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 was located ear Nabro volcano site - ERITREA

http://www.oga.dj/

2012-07-01 16:19:12 4.9 Eritrea
http://www.oga.dj/web/html/20120701161912.html

4.8 2012/07/01 16:19:13 13.351 41.779 10.0 ERITREA - ETHIOPIA REGION
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/10/40_15.php

* Vigorous Plume from Nyiragongo Volcano [July 5, 2012; Earth Observatory]

Africa’s Mount Nyiragongo—one of the few volcanoes with a permanent lava lake—recently experienced a surge in activity. Since July 3rd, the Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) reported a series of ash plumes up to an altitude of 18,000 feet (5,500 meters), which is about 6,500 feet (2,000 m) above the volcano’s 11,384-foot (3,470 m) summit. Nyiragongo frequently emits sulfur dioxide, but ash emissions are unusual. This natural-color satellite image shows emissions streaming southwest from Nyiragongo, with an additional plume from nearby Nyamuragira. This image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite on July 5, 2012.

More in this Event (view all)

Related Reading

Nyamuragira Volcano Erupts

JULY 17, INDONESIA, MT.MERAPI

Mount Merapi, located in Yogyakarta, emitted high-pressure gas on Sunday afternoon that caused its crater wall to collapse and volcanic ash to fall on its western slope, as smoke billowed up to 1 kilometer into the sky.

As the gas discharge was not followed by other dangerous volcanic activity, the phenomenon was regarded as a small-scale volcanic eruption and the volcano’s alert status remained normal. ...

Source

At 22: 41: 15 a.m. UTC on 17 July 2012, the National Geographic Institute located a magnit earthquake. 1.9 to the is of La Guancha, in the interior of the island of Tenerife (Latit. 28.3094 and Longit. - 16.6303) see data in AVCAN.org - http://www.avcan.org/index.php?m=Catalogo&a=detalle&ev=1157... (Translated by Bing)

And this morning, a small earthquake in the area between Tenerife and Gran Canaria, it seems that the area of the volcano of Enmedio is going to him, moved from time to time
1157153 07/17/2012 05: 22: 20 28.1979 - 16.1452 1.6 4 Atlantico-canarias http://www.02.ign.es/ign/resources/sismologia/www/dir_images_terrem...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Actualidad-Volc%C3%A1nica-de-Canarias...

17/07/2012 22:41:15 28.3094 -16.6303 1.9 4 SE LA GUANCHA.ITF TENERIFE
http://www.geo.ign.es/ign/layoutIn/sismoDetalleTerremotos.do?evid=1...

Japan, Sakurajima volcano:600th Eruption this year with Massive Explosion

Volcano blast showers ash on Japanese city

THE Sakurajima volcano in southern Japan has erupted, spewing volcanic ash onto Kagoshima City.

The eruption at one of Japan's most active volcanoes showered ash on the streets of Kagoshima, which lies just 2km across a bay from the volcano.

Residents of Kagoshima donned face masks to protect themselves while sweeping away the ash.

The volcano has erupted more than 600 times this year and is expected to continue its intermittent eruptions.

Currently, the volcano warning there is at level three out of a possible five levels.

A level five would mean that the residents living near the crater would have to be evacuated, while level three warns people not to approach the volcano. Source

EL HIERRO VOLCANO 2012-07-27

Actualidad Volcánica de Canarias (AVCAN)

The second earthquake located by IGN day so far .. just below the Tanganasoga .., although they are more in the spectrogram, that if weaker. Tanganasoga volcano el Hierro.
Traduced by google

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Actualidad-Volc%C3%A1nica-de-Canarias...

27/07/2012 14:12:20 27.7212 -18.0606 20 2.1 mbLg SW FRONTERA.IHI
http://www.geo.ign.es/ign/layoutIn/sismoDetalleTerremotos.do?evid=1...

I folded the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) for each eruption and got the overall rate for each year. The graph shows, that over the past 20 years volcanic activity is growing.

All the data according for Global Volcanism Program:

1991     1992     1993     1994     1995
69          40         43          60          47

1996     1997     1998     1999     2000
50          37         50          60          72

2001     2002     2003      2004     2005
54          72         43           85          75

2006     2007     2008     2009     2010
63          68         73          51          66

http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/find_eruptions.cfm

Alaska's Cleveland Volcano Has An Explosion, Aug 4

A small explosive event at Cleveland volcano occurred yesterday, August 4, at 8:38 AM ADT (16:38 UTC) based on retrospective analysis of infrasound data. Satellite images show a brief, faint steam plume about 4 hours after the event. Satellite data also detect elevated surface temperatures in several clear views of the volcano last night. AVO has received no reports of activity from mariners or pilots in the vicinity of the volcano.

Source

Aug 6, White Island volcano, New Zealand

WHITE ISLAND VOLCANO STATUS CHANGED TO 'ERUPTION', VISITORS WARNED TO STAY CLEAR OF ISLAND

White Island volcano has erupted, prompting GNS Science to advise visitors to take extra care.

The island, located about 50 kilometres off the coast of Whakatane, is an active volcano and a popular tourist spot.

Its web camera captured the small eruption from Crater Lake, GNS Science volcanologist Michael Ronsenberg said.

"These phenomena are not unknown for While Island, but this is the first substantial confirmation that small scale eruptions are now occurring on the island and confirms the risk to visitors has increased," he said.

"Eruptions can occur at any time with little or no warning. We advise extra caution should be taken, if visiting the island."

GNS has changed the volcano's code from "experiencing signs of elevated unrest above known background levels" to "volcanic eruption is underway with no or minor ash emissions".

The alert level has also changed from one to two due to "minor eruptive activity".

It follows a code change last week when scientists discovered water levels in Crater Lake rose by about 3m to 5m overnight and the number of tremors had increased.

There was a particularly stronger seismic episode recorded Sunday morning, ending in a volcanic earthquake at 4.54am that day.

Rosenberg said: "[The earthquake] had a sound signal, which meant something happened on the surface. So we went back and looked at the camera images." ...

Source

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Actualidad-Volc%C3%A1nica-de-Canarias...
http://www.cenapred.unam.mx/popo/UltimaImagenVolcanI.html

Imagen del Volcán Popocatépetl - Altzomoni Tlamacas - MEXICO

This image is updated every minute, shows the northern flank of the volcano including the glacier. Intense cloudy or transmission problems, can sometimes prevent the visibility of the volcano

New Zealand Volcano Erupts for First Time Since 1897 ( Aug 6) -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2179847/New-Zealand-volcano...

• Mount Tongariro takes scientists by surprise by suddenly erupting for the first time since 1897
• People evacuated, roads closed and flights cancelled as thick ash spreads over several miles
• Witnesses describe flashes and explosions followed by ash cloud reaching more than four miles high

The 1,968-metre Mount Tongariro erupted late Monday shortly before midnight, throwing rocks into the air that landed up to a half-mile away, but there were no reports of casualties or damage.

Winds carried a cloud of volcanic ash across the centre of the North Island to the east coast city of Napier, more than 201 kilometres away.

Police lifted a warning for people to stay indoors, saying there was no health risk except to people with respiratory illnesses. Civil defence officials cancelled a potential threat advisory.

But the New Zealand Post cancelled deliveries in Napier and nearby Hastings for their carriers’ safety.

The state Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences said the eruption, accompanied by a series of small earthquakes, comprised steam from the mountain’s hydrothermal system rather than molten lava ejected from the core.

It said a helicopter flight over the mountain, which last blew in 1897, confirmed that activity had subsided, but it posted a volcanic alert of two on a scale of five and said it could not predict what would happen next.

“As with any volcano, an eruption could occur at Tongariro at any time with little or no warning, and there is an elevated level of risk,” it said.

Scientists admitted they were surprised by the eruption and said heightened seismic activity could continue for several weeks.

Some people left their homes, but there was no official evacuation. Police closed the island’s main highway, linking the capital, Wellington, with the biggest city, Auckland, because of poor visibility during the night, but it was reopened after daylight.

Tongariro is the smallest of three volcanoes in a national park on the central North Island’s plateau. Ski fields on 2,797-metre Mount Ruapehu, an active volcano that last erupted in 2007, continued to operate. Authorities closed Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a popular hiking track, until further notice.

Air New Zealand cancelled flights to and from North Island cities, and off-duty air traffic controllers were called in to help pilots fly clear of the ash cloud.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1238231--new-zealand-volc...

White Island volcano eruption Time-Lapse video (New Zealand)

White Island volcano update (New Zealand, 8 Aug)

A new eruption has started from White Island volcano early today. An ash plume is rising to 4-6000 ft (1.3-1.8 km) altitude. The eruption consists of ash venting from a new cone that is beeing built in the Crater Lake, and followed a sharp DECREASE in tremor...

Source

Submarine Eruption Makes it Three for New Zealand

By Erik Klemetti August 10, 2012

Just think, one week ago I was saying that 2012 was a relatively quiet year for volcanic eruptions. We haven’t made up all the ground of the more active years like 2010-11, however New Zealand had one of its more exciting volcanic weeks in a century — White Island and Tongariro both had eruptions and yesterday a large pumice raft was spotted north of the island nation.

* Aerial view by the New Zealand Navy of a pumice raft spotted near Raoul Island in the Kermadec Islands on August 10, 2012. Image from the New Zealand Herald.

This pumice raft (see right) is the product of a submarine volcanic eruption from one of the multiple of seamounts that are part of Kermadec arc north of New Zealand. Exactly which volcano is the source of the pumice is unclear — early on, it was suggested that Monowai was the source, but that seems to be in some question based on the location of the 26,000 square kilometer pumice raft (see below).

The raft is located to the northeast of Raoul Island, one of the active volcanoes of the Kermadec Islands that is above the sea surface. The next known active volcano to the northeast of Raoul is Monowai, thus the suspicion that it may be the source. Likely the only way this actual source will be identified is through matching the composition of this pumice with that of known material from Monowai (or another Kermadec volcano).

Rafts like this can travel great distances – some of the pumice rafts from the Krakatau eruption in 1886 washed up on African beaches months later — so trying to determine the exact source of the pumice when it is so widespread is challenging. However, this is likely a significant eruption based on the size of the pumice raft across the ocean surface. Monowai does seem reasonable, though, as it has produced significant eruptions in the last few years.

* A raw Aqua/MODIS image of the pumice raft off Raoul Island in the Kermadecs, seen on August 10, 2012. Image courtesy of NASA.

Much like I said yesterday, none of these eruptions are directly connected – Tongariro, White Island and this submarine eruption in the Kermadecs are too far apart to be sharing any magmatism. However, the tectonics that control the formation of volcanoes are all the same – the subduction of the Pacific Plate under the Australian Plate.

Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano erupts

 Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano spews large clouds of gas and ash near Banos, about 178 km (110 miles) south of Quito August 19, 2012. The authorities are encouraging residents living near the volcano to evacuate due to increased activity of the volcano, according to local media. The Tungurahua volcano has been in an active state since October 1999. REUTERS/Carlos Campana

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ecuador-s-tungurahua-volcano-erupts-sl...  

4 Costa Rico Volcano's being closely watched after earthquake

Costa Rica News – When seeing the after effects of the earthquake in Costa Rica this past week, one thing that needs to be watched closely is the active volcanoes within the country. Even a small shift under one of these giants could cause an eruption. At least four of the seven active volcanoes in the country are in the crosshairs of scientists after the earthquake of 7.6 magnitude occurred on Wednesday in Costa Rica.

These are Arenal (Alajuela), Rincon de la Vieja (Guanacaste), Turrialba (Cartago) and Poás (Alajuela).

According to specialists agree Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI-A) and the National Seismological Network (RSN: ICE-UCR), due to the size of the earthquake, it is normal volcanic structures, especially those already vulnerable are affected.There is a rearrangement of material and even chemical changes.

The clearest example is the Arenal, where locals reported a noise characteristic of rolling boulders. ”We know there is a cave in the north, in the direction of the community of La Palma,” said Maria Martinez geochemistry, OVSICORI.

So with the Telica, Apoyeque and San Cristobal the total is 7 at this moment

Source

Thousands Evacuated as San Cristobal Volcano Eruption in Nicaragua Intensifies (Sept 9) -

Nicaragua’s largest volcano erupted three times this morning, belching gas and ash 1,500 meters into the sky and forcing the evacuation of thousands of families in the rural northwestern department of Chinandega, according to government media sources. No damages or injuries have been reported.

San Cristobal’s eruption is being monitored by the government officials and could result in the evacuation of 20,000 people, according to first lady and government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo.

Guillermo González, director of the National System for Prevention, Mitigation and Response to Disasters (SINAPRED) reported that 3,000 people in five communities are being affected by gases and ash from the volcano.

Source

Source

Violent Fuego Volcano Eruption in Guatemala - 33,000 Expected to Evacuate (Sept 13) - 

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/13/13847747-33000-told-t...

A Guatemalan volcano erupting Thursday for the sixth time this year triggered evacuations of several towns, with more than 33,000 expected to flee.

The Fuego volcano started spewing lava some 2,000 feet down two slopes, while ash flew two miles upwards. Ash was covering homes and buildings several miles away, the government's disaster agency said.

While Fuego had erupted five times earlier this year, one scientist in Guatemala said today's eruption was the biggest since 1999.

Seventeen towns with 33,000 people are in the precautionary evacuation zone, the country's emergency response director said. By midday, more than 10,000 had fled, officials said.

The volcano sits just 6 miles southwest of Antigua, a colonial city popular with tourists. Antigua was not in the evacuation zone.

Cinders spewing from the volcano were settling a half-inch thick in many places, government volcanologist Gustavo Chicna said.

Extremely hot gases were rolling down the sides of the volcano, which was entirely wreathed in ash and smoke.

The emergency agency warned that flights through the area could be affected.

There was a general orange alert, the second-highest level, but a red alert south and southeast of the mountain, where, Chicna said, "it's almost in total darkness" due to the ash and smoke.

Teresa Marroquin, a Guatemalan Red Cross coordinator, said the organization had set up 10 emergency shelters and was sending hygiene kits and water.

"There are lots of respiratory problems and eye problems," she said.

Lates update on El Hierro volcano ;

Update 16/09 – 19:17 UTC
- 185 earthquakes until 20:49 UTC
- 1 M1.4 earthquake at 10 km, but this was the only one today at this shallow depth
- Diario El Hierro has the stunning title that IGN is analizing the earthquakes. What else could be expected from IGN ?
- Canarias7 could talk to Jose Mario Blanco (IGN). She says that she do not expect the quakes to become stronger than M3.2 at the present depth. She confirms what we wrote earlier on, that the epicenters are migrating gradually to the south.

Source

EL HIERRO : 410 EARTHQUAKES IN 120 HOURS! + DEFORMATIONS

Update 17/09 – 22:09 UTC
- 105 earthquakes until 20:55 UTC
- less seismicity than the 2 prior days

Update 17/09 – 20:01 UTC
- 95 earthquakes, all the recent ones at 20 km or deeper

Update 17/09 – 17:05 UTC
- 84 earthquakes until 16:11 UTC
- Another 2 shallow quakes at 10 and 11 km , both in the El Golfo, Sabinosa area. The phenomena described in the last update is being confirmed with these quakes. The Sabinosa – El Golfo area has become active again. We are however unsure whether IGN has deliberately omitted the quakes in this area when the strong swarm started. If this was not the case (what we should find very normal) then we can speak of a changing pattern. The following hours will give a better idea of the situation

Update 17/09 – 15:36 UTC
- Is the crust starting to show cracks ? Why are we writing this ? If IGN data are correct, we have noticed a number of shallower earthquakes the last couple of hours. Nothing to be scared off, but this is definitely a change in patterns versus earlier today and the 2 preceding days.  From 12:27 until 14:39 (less than 3 hours) we have noticed 6 under 20 km earthquakes on a total of 17.
The shallowest being a 13 km, but also a 15 km and a couple of 18 km. Is the magma the cause ? IGN would probably know it but mostly keeps his information for international science conferences a couple of months later!
The shallowest one was recorded below the Sabinosa area, the area where the other 10 km were recorded last week.
- 71 earthquakes so far

Update 17/09 – 12:45 UTC
- 52 earthquakes so far (listed by IGN until 11:06 UTC). No change in depth patterns or epicenter area. I looks more and more that the island consists of solid rock where magma has a hard time to penetrate

Update 17/09 – 08:38 UTC
- “Only” 30 earthquakes listed by IGN this morning
- Hypocenters : no change in depth (hypocenter or focal depth or depth are indicating the same = layer in the underground (crust or deeper) where the energy is generated
- Epicenters : same area than yesterday centering in the historic crater area
- GPS deformations :
Restinga : 1 cm further uplifting (Ultra Rapid) – stabilized on the longitude and latitude axis (= earlier movement to the South-East)
Pinar : 1 cm uplift – pushed 1 cm further to the North – stabilized on the longitude axis (= earlier movement to the East)
Frontera : no more uplifting, 0,5 cm to the North – no change on the longitude axis since long time
The plotters under our readers can try to trace this way the source of the magma. Click here for the source of our data (courtesy Prof. Sagiya – University of Nagoya)

Source

Soputan Volcano Erupts In Central Indonesia, Third Volcano to Erupt in Indonesia Since Sep 15 -

Shooting ash and smoke nearly 1 1/2 kilometers into the sky, Soputan joined Lokon in North Sulawesi and Gamalama at Ternate in North Maluku, both of which erupted on Saturday, September 15.  Lokon generated a 1,500-meter high ash plume.  Soputan is about 2,160 kilometers northeast of Jakarta.

Sources

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/18/mount-soputan-volcano-erup...

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/two-volcanos-awaken-rattling-ne...

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/09/17/mount-gamalama-spews-...

Today's eruption of Mt. Karangetang in the northern part of North Sulawesi makes 4 volcanoes in Indonesia to erupt in the past 5 days. 

Media downplays eruptions as "rumbling", defined at Mt. Soputan as follows:

"The explosion on the mountain took place until 2 a.m. The eruption could be heard up to 40 kilometres away. Observers now could not see or record earthquakes there as the explosions were incessant."

4 Volcanoes Rumble in Indonesia (Sep 20) -
Three active volcanoes in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi and another one in North Maluku are rumbling. The three rumbling mountains in North Sulawesi are Mount Soputan in Southeast Minahasa, Mt. Lokon in Tomohon and Mt. Karangetang in the northern part of North Sulawesi, while Mt. Gamalama in Ternate Island grumbled in North Maluku.

Sources

http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/09/20/4-volcanoes-rumble-indon...

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/volcanic-activity-up-in-several...

MUD VOLCANO ERUPTS IN AZERBAIJAN, SEP 20

Arif Huseynov: “The Volcano was too powerful at the beginning and the mud covered more than 2 ha of the area”

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva – APA. Lokbatan mud volcano erupted in the morning has weakened, Executive of Mud Volcanism Department under the Geology Institute of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Arif Huseynov told APA.

Huseynov said that the eruption process is being studied. The volcano accompanied by a rumble at 05.00 spew flames at 09.00: “According to the preliminary observations, the eruption was powerful and mud spread across the area of more than 2 ha. The exact information will be announced after the measurements. But this eruption was more powerful than the eruption in 2010. At that time, the mud covered about 2 ha area.”

Husyenov says that no flame is being observed in the area: “The volcano has already weakened. It is not likely to flame again, as it’s weakened.”

The Lokbatan mud volcano is the most active volcano in Azerbaijan and in the world. Last time the volcano erupted in 2010. This is the 24th eruption of the volcano.

Fortunately there aren’t any houses in the area, but there are oil wells.

Source

VOLCANO IN CHINA SHOWING SIGNS OF ACTIVITY (SEP 27)

A volcano on the border of China and North Korea is showing signs of increasing activity and could erupt in the next few decades, Chinese researchers say.

A massive eruption of Changbaishan around 1,100 years ago spread ash and volcanic gases for 30 miles and left a 3-mile-wide crater atop the volcano, scientists said.

Seismic activity, ground deformation and gas emissions recorded in a period of heightened activity from 2002 to 2006 suggests the magma chamber beneath the volcano is growing.  ....

VOLCANO ERUPTS WITH SMOKE IN INDONESIA  (SEP 27)

A VOLCANO has erupted on Indonesia's Sumatra island, spewing thick grey smoke up to 1.5 kilometres into the sky.

Monitoring official Suparno says Mount Marapi's eruption on Wednesday is its strongest since August last year, when its status was raised to level three out of four.

Suparno, who uses one name, says there is no plan for an evacuation because the nearest villages are far beyond the danger zone of three kilometres from the crater. ...

Source

CURRENTLY ACTIVE VOLCANOES VISUAL

EXPLOSIVE ERUPTION REPORTED AT JAPAN'S SUWANOSEJIMA VOLCANO (Oct 3)

Suwanosejima (諏訪之瀬島?) is a volcanic island with a population of about fifty people, located in the Tokara Islands, part of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. It is 8 km long and is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan. An explosion was reported this morning (around 07 am GMT time) with an ash plume reaching 10,000 (about 3 km) altitude.

Source

Mount Lokon in Indonesia Erupts Again (Oct 7) -

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Volatile+volcano+erupts+again+nort...

Mount Lokon in North Sulawesi province erupted Sunday, spewing smoke and ash that caused muddy rain to fall in nearby villages, an official said.

The volatile volcano rumbled as heavy rain fell around its cloud-covered crater, local monitoring official Farid Ruskanda Bina said.

He said the sound was heard 5 kilometres (3 miles) away but the height of the eruption was not visible.

The ash made the rain thick and muddy in six villages, Bina said.

"Soldiers are distributing masks to the villagers," he said.

There was no plan for evacuations because the nearest villages are beyond the danger area, he said.

More than 33,000 people live along the fertile slopes of the 5,741-foot (1,750-meter) mountain.

Loud, Thumping Noises Heard

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/07/world/asia/indonesia-volcano/index.ht...

Loud, thumping noises were heard at a monitoring post 6 kilometers (3.8 miles) from where Mount Lokon erupted around 2:05 p.m. (2:05 a.m. ET) Sunday, said Sutupo Purwo Nugroho of Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Board, as reported by the official Antara news agency.

The volatile activity continued after that, though authorities could not immediately ascertain how many additional, separate eruptions had occurred.

"Right now, there are still eruptions, but they could not be observed as the volcano is covered by haze," said Nugroho.

Those living within 2.5 kilometers of the volcano, which is in the Pacific island nation's North Sulawesi province, are being told not to carry out any activity, according to Nugroho, who heads the mitigation board's data and information center.

The volcano has been active since last Friday, with some eruptions spewing ashes 1,500 meters into the air. One day earlier, officials issued an early warning to residents -- yet Mount Lokon was still categorized as idle until Sunday, as it is now on alert status.

SHIVELUCH ERUPTED AGAIN (OCT 6)

Shiveluch, one of the most active volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula releases a plume of ash that drifts over the Kamchatskiy Zaliv at an altitude of over 3000 meters.

Source

HIGHEST VOLCANO IN EURASIA STARTS ERUPTING (RUSSIA, OCT 15)

The highest active volcano in Eurasia, Klyuchevskaya Sopka has started to erupt, officials with the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

On the night of October 15, there was light seen over the summit of the volcano indicating a blowout of lava in its crater, Vesti.ru reports. Experts believe the release of ash to the height of 6 feet above sea level may start any moment. Lava flows on the slopes of the volcano are also expected.

Yellow aviation color code has been assigned to the volcano to warn about the potential danger that the volcanic ash and gases may pose to aircraft engines. Nothing has been said about the possible threat to human settlements. The nearest settlement is 30 kilometers far from Klyuchevskaya Sopka.

The last eruption of Klyuchevskaya Sopka took place from September 2009 to December 2010. In June this year, the giant began to wake up again. Klyuchevskaya Sopka is located 360 km north-north-east off Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The height of the mount is 4,750 meters above sea level.

Source

UNDERWATER VOLCANO ERUPTS CLOSE TO MINAMI ISLAND, JAPAN, COULD CREATE A NEW ISLAND (OCT 16)

An underwater volcanic eruption was detected Wednesday morning close to Minami-Iwoto island in the Pacific Ocean and an expert speculated that the eruption could form a permanent island. A coast guard vessel spotted a white plume of smoke rising from the sea about three miles north-northeast of the island. It was the first time since July 2005 that volcanic smoke had been detected in the area, which is located about 745 miles south of central Tokyo. According to an announcement by the 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters of the Japan Coast Guard, based in Yokohama, the volcano spewed ash and smoke about 100 meters into the air, and the surrounding sea area changed to a yellowish-green color while other parts became a cloudy gray. According to the Meteorological Agency, the volcano, known as Fukutokuokanoba, has erupted seven times since 1904, when its activities were first recorded. On three occasions, land masses were formed, but all later sank below the waterline. Tokyo Institute of Technology Prof. Kenji Nogami, an expert in geoscience, said: "In the 1986 eruption, a new island appeared after lava accumulated. The island was washed away by waves, but seabed upheaval reduced the water depth to 22 meters in 1999. It's possible that this (recent) volcanic activity could form a permanent island."

Source

Kilauea Volcano lava lake reaches highest level

Kuril Islands Alaid Volcano Awakens (Oct 25) -

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_10_25/Kurils-Alaid-volcano-wakes-up/

A volcano in Russia's Far East has begun spewing ash with the giant ash cloud rising to an altitude of up to 700 meters.

The Alaid Volcano is the tallest and northernmost volcano in the islands, with a crater which is approximately 1.5-km-wide.

The first signs of activity were recorded on October 7th when thermal anomalies were observed a cloud of steam appeared.

Volcanologists are issuing warnings regarding the likelihood of an eruption of ash emissions which may reach a height of 10-15 kilometers above sea level.

Poás Volcano rumbles, spits ashes

Access to one of Costa Rica's most popular national parks remains open to tourists.

Experts from the National Seismological Network are keeping the volcano under surveillance.Courtesy of RSN

The Poas Volcano early Sunday awoke residents of the province of Alajuela with a strong rumble.

At about 1 a.m., the volcano’s crater ejected mud and ash more than 500 meters into the air. Ashes traveled hundreds of meters around the national park, rangers reported.

Although the volcano is frequently active, this kind of strong explosion has not been recorded since 2006. Experts said the activity was normal, but they will continue monitoring the volcano.

Poás Volcano National Park will remain open to tourists while experts determine if there is any risk to visitors.

Source: http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Edition/News-Briefs/Poas-Volcano-r...

Volcanic Activity November 1 - 2:

1.  An increased number of earthquakes can be noted beneath Askja volcano in Iceland during the recent days, and the tremor signal is elevated as well, although far from alarming levels. The volcano is certainly one to watch out for.

2.  A strong SO2 plume is visible from Nyiragongo. The Goma Volcano Observatory has reported continuous ash emissions. This could suggest a new eruptive phase at the volcano has begun.

3. The seismic swarm in the Tjörnes Fracture Zone north off Iceland that had started nearly 2 weeks ago continues as well although at somewhat reduced pace. Quakes are contentrated in 2 main areas at the western and eastern sides of the fault system.

4.  Elevated seismic activity including a swarm of quakes in mid October and ongoing slight deflation continued at Yellowstone caldera volcano during October. There are no signs of a possible reawakening in a near future.

5. Popocatépetl's activity has been showing a weak increasing trend with more than 2 exhalations per hour during 30 Oct - 1 Nov. Some emissions probably contained small amounts of ash. Glow from the crater remains visible at night, indicating that the lava dome continues to grow slowly there.

6. Fuego volcano in Guatemala has mild infrequent strombolian explosions and continues to feed its lava flow, which however has decreased to 200 m length.

7. The lava flows from Santiaguito lava dome were reported calm this morning. Few weak explosions are sometimes observed from the dome.

8. Pacaya volcano is steaming only, but continues to show some elevated seismic activity.

9.  Seismic swarms of low energy continue to occur at Cumbal volcano in Colombia. Nevado del Ruiz volcano continues to emit significant amounts of steam and gas, and sometimes small amounts of ash. Galeras volcano has had small intermittent ash explosions recently. The country's other volcanoes currently on yellow alert have not shown significant variations in their activity during the past week.

10.  MODVOLC detected a hot spot at Pagan volcano in the Marianas on 31 Oct, the first time since August 2012. According to USGS, the volcano continues to show only steaming, but it cannot ruled out that the new thermal anomaly might be caused by near-surface lava.

11. Alaid volcano (Northern Kuriles, Russia) continues to show a thermal hot spot as well. The volcano is not monitored on ground.

12. Raung volcano in East Java might have been erupting on a small scale already since 19 Oct. A video from a visit at the local volcano observatory shows strong seismic activity, but no visible plumes rising from the volcano's summit.

13.  An explosion from Kizimen volcano in Kamchatka today produced an ash plume rising to 17,000 ft (5.2 km) altitude, VAAC Tokyo reported.

Source

RUAPEHU ERUPTION WARNING FOR NZ CLIMBERS (NEW ZEALAND, NOV 16)

New Zealand authorities are urging climbers and hikers to stay away from the summit of Mt Ruapehu after warnings the volcano could erupt.

A summit hazard zone - the area within two kilometres of the centre of Crater Lake - should be avoided, the Department of Conservation's Ruapehu area manager Jonathon Maxwell said on Friday.

The warning did not affect nearby Mt Tongariro or the popular Tongariro Alpine Crossing, but people should be aware of an increased possibility of lahars (mudflows containing volcanic matter) in streams on the Round the Ruapehu Mountain track.

On Friday morning, GNS Science said pressure was building under Mt Ruapehu and there was an increased chance it will erupt.

The aviation alert level around the central North Island has been raised to yellow - suggesting unrest above background levels - but the volcanic alert level remains unchanged at "signs of unrest".

GNS Science vulcanologist Steven Sherburn says the changes make scientists believe eruptions are more likely in the coming weeks to months.

Source

New Zealand Volcano Mt Tongariro Erupts Again (Nov 21) - UPDATED

Dramatic video

Nov 22 Update:

A New Zealand volcano that neighbors a mountain best known as Mount Doom of the Lord of the Rings films (Mount Ruapehu, also set to erupt) has rumbled back to life.

Mount Tongariro, situated in a remote part of the country's North Island, erupted for five minutes on November 21, spewing clouds of ash 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) high.

Mt Tongariro Erupts (Nov 21)

A massive plume of ash can be seen coming from the mountain and an operation is underway to get people off the Tongariro Crossing.

The official GNS Science monitoring service issued a potential threat alert after the eruption at the North Island volcano, which became active in August this year after lying dormant for more than a century.

GNS Science duty volcanologist Nico Fournier told APNZ the eruption happened about 1.20pm.

Wellington Airport spokesman Greg Thomas said no flights had been affected yet, however that could change and the situation was being monitored.

Up to 70 Napier School children were reported to be two hours into a tramp on the Tongariro track.

Two bus drivers from Nimon and Sons, who took the children up to the mountain, had reported back to their base that they could see a plume 2km high, a spokesman said.

Lake Rotoaira resident Robyn Bennett said there was a big, black ash cloud over her house, which was about a kilometre from the eruption site.

"It's just blew her stack," she said.

She said the air smelled of sulphur.

"It's hard to breathe if you go outside, it's pushing out quite heavily." Bennett said she didn't hear the eruption but it looked like a new vent had formed in front of a previous eruption crater. The ash cloud was moving east towards Napier and Taupo.

Ann Lambert, owner of the Rainbow Motel at Tokaanu, near Turangi, said she had not been aware of any noise, unlike the previous time Tongariro erupted when there had been a "huge loud noise".

"We weren't aware it had happened. We just looked up and saw it," she said.

HISTORY REPEATS

This is the second eruption this year. The Te Maari crater erupted on August 6, the first time in more than 100 years.

The eruption, on August 6, widened and deepened the crater and reactivated vents which had been covered up in the 116 years since it last erupted in 1896.

Ruapehu has also been active recently but has not erupted. Pressure was building under the volcano and there was an increased likelihood of an eruption, GNS said last week.

A series of earthquakes rattled the ground beneath Tongariro in the weeks leading up to the August eruption and another series of quakes have shaken the ground beneath Ruapehu in the last few weeks.

Sources

http://www.news.com.au/world/nz-volcano-mt-tongariro-erupts/story-f...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/7979599/Mt-Tongariro-eru...

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/nz-volcano-tonga...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/11/121121-mount-doom-v...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/7979461/Panic-on-Mt-Tongariro-as-vo...

Kamchatka Volcano Eruption Destroys Science Camps (Nov 30) -

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20121130/177832742.html

Lava flows from the slope of erupting volcano Plosky Tolbachik in Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula have destroyed two nearby scientific camps, a local branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences said on Friday.

The 3,085-meter Plosky Tolbachik, which is part of a volcanic complex located 343 kilometers from the region's capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, erupted on November 27 for the first time in 36 years.

The two camps were located 10 kilometers from the volcano.

The eruption has been already assigned a Red Code status as the volcano is throwing clouds of ash to the height of 3,000 meters with the potential for ash explosions up to 10 km.

Residents of nearby villages have been advised not to leave their homes as massive ash falls in the area are filled with toxic sulfur fumes.

The Plosky Tolbachik erupted 10 times since records began in 1740, with the most notable eruption in 1975, commonly known as The Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption. Soviet scientists successfully predicted the eruption because it was preceded by a series of earthquakes.

The 1975 eruption dramatically changed the local landscape and became an ecological disaster as the volume of lava and ashes emitted by the Plosky Tolbachik was the largest in recorded history of Kamchatka.

There are more than 150 volcanoes on Kamchatka, 30 of them active.

Santiaguito Volcano Erupts in Guatemala (Nov 29) -

The Santiaguito volcano, in western Guatemala, erupted today with “very strong,” with the release of smoke and ash at high altitudes, so the agency has recommended Meteorology restrict air traffic in the area.

So far there is no need for an evacuation of the villages closest to the volcano, which is located about 227 kilometers from Guatemala City.

The director of the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology (Insivumeh), Eddy Sanchez, reported that the activity of the volcano at 2,550 meters, and located in the department of Quetzaltenango, started at about 5.30 local time (11.30 GMT ). Sanchez added that the sand and volcanic ash is dispersed within at least a 4 kilometers radius of the volcano. “There is a crater collapse, pyroclastic flows, and notice has already been given to Civil Aviation to restrict air operations in that region,” said the director of the local radio Insivumeh. He also reported they warned the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conrad) to take the necessary precautions.

Sanchez said the eruption of Santiaguito will last for several hours and urged people to stock up surrounding drinking water because the sand and volcanic ash can contaminate streams that may be harmful to health. The sand and ash has fallen in populations of the departments of Quetzaltenango and Retalhuleu, where they can be affected coffee plantations, according to Sanchez. The volunteer fire departments of these two departments have declared orange alert or prevention, while experts Conrad Insivumeh and keep a constant eye on the evolution of the eruption.

Source (translated)

video

Earthquake swarms could indicate eruption near Nisyros, Greece  (Dec 4)

A seismic swarm of 2000 microearthquakes near the island of Nisyros since 24 November could indicate a start of a or coming of a volcanic eruption near Nisyros.
The quakes are located between the area of Simi Island (Greece) and the Bozburun peninsula of SW Turkey: click here for a map and list of quakes.

Information is still scanty, but seismic signals from this possible eruption are very similar to those recorded from current volcanic eruptions.

If an eruption is taking place, it would form a new submarine volcano near Nisyros.

No proof has yet been found to prove that an eruption may be taking place. Some sources think the swarm may be tectonic (as the Aegean sea is very seismically active). The VolcanoDiscovery alert will be kept at Green until further evidence is found.

Source

Volcanic Eruptions Continue on Indonesia's Mt. Lokon (Dec 8) -

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/north-sulawesis-mount-lokon-ent...

Mount Lokon, near the North Sulawesi town of Tomohon, entered its second day of eruption on Friday, belching heaps of ash and smoke into the atmosphere.

“People are asked to remain alert and not conduct any activities within a 2.5 kilometer radius around the Tompuluan crater of Mount Lokon,” said Farid Bima, who heads the volcano monitoring outpost near the mountain.

The 1,579-meter-high volcano first erupted at around 5:18 p.m. on Thursday, sending a column of ash and smoke that reached some 3,500 meters high.

The ash fell mostly on the southeastern slope of the volcano.

Farid said that so far there had been no report of casualties or damages, and reiterated that the alert status of the mountain was still at “ready,” or two rungs above normal and one below full eruption.

Mount Lokon has demonstrated rising volcanic activities since mid-year, he added, and has been undergoing a series of small and large eruptions.

Tomohon Mayor Jemmy Eman announced on Friday a 2.5 kilometer-radius danger-zone and also prepared areas to shelter people if any evacuations needed to take place.

However, he said there was no need for people on the upper slopes of the mountain to be evacuated, since the eruptions so far were not deemed major threats.

“Therefore, there will not be any evacuations yet,” said Arnold Poli, the city secretary.

An eruption of Mount Lokon last month prompted the evacuation of some 5,000 people from its upper slopes.

Hoyke Makarawung, the head of the North Sulawesi Disaster Mitigation Agency, said that his institution had already readied assistance should any evacuation take place in the areas affected by the discharge.

River of Fire: Satellite Captures Immense Lava Flow From Russian Volcano

These astonishing aerial images reveal molten lava spewing from a Russian volcano that suddenly erupted after lying dormant for 36 years.

The Plosky Tolbachik volcano on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula burst into activity on November 27, sending clouds of ash almost 10,000 feet into the air, and leading some experts to warn it could go on to unleash an eruption as powerful as that seen from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokel in 2010, which caused more than a week of air traffic disruption.

Lava flows pouring from the mouth of the volcano - which appear like a river of fire are reported to have destroyed two research camps and forced schools in nearby villages to close.  The lava fields surrounding the volcano currently stretch over 13 square kilometers and are up to 20 meters deep.

Sources

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2245648/Plosky-Tolbachik-vo...

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/emergency-workers-organi...

Record Lava Flow From Plosky Tolbachik Volcano (Dec 11) -

The erupting Tolbachik volcano in Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula is spilling a record 1,200 metric tons of lava every second.

The volcano has been spewing lava from two fissures along its southern slope, with upper flow descending 6,000 meters and lower flow – 13,600 meters.

The flow from the upper fissure has almost stopped but could resume at any moment as the volcano continues to produce magma, Karpov said at a meeting with local officials.

“If the activity at the upper fissure resumes, we will face a real danger,” he said, adding that the eruption had been already assigned a Red Code status.

Source