Yesterday a new lava flow was reported at the Indonesian volcano Karangetang. It flows out of the northern crater and has divided into 2 branches which flow over the western flank. Already the day before yesterday a heat radiation with an output of 335 MW was registered. The height of the heat radiation speaks for a still quite short lava flow, which is also confirmed on satellite photos.
Today the VAAC reports volcanic ash, which penetrates up to an altitude of 7600 m. The lava flow is still quite short. The main part of the ash cloud is limited to an altitude of about 3000 m above sea level.
Karangetang lies on the island of Siau, between Sulawesi and the Philippines. The volcano has 2 craters in which sometimes lava domes grow. From these lava domes, viscous lava flows proceed. Pyroclastic flows can develop, which reach inhabited areas and cause destruction. The currently active crater in the north was already active at the beginning of the year. At that time a lava flow reached the coast and caused minor damage. The road to a village was interrupted so that it could only be reached by ship. The picture shows a lava flow from the south crater and comes from the archive.