Eruptions

News about eruptions and volcanoes can be found in this category. It is updated frequently. Volcano expert and journalist Marc Szeglat reports live from his expeditions to volcanoes.

Subterminal Eruption at Mount Etna

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Subterminal Eruption at Mount Etna: Lava Flow on the Southern Flank

After several months of inactivity, Mount Etna in Sicily has erupted again, producing a lava flow descending its southern flank. Notably, this is a rare subterminal eruption: instead of originating from the central crater, the lava flow emerges from a short fissure at the base of the central crater complex.

According to INGV volcanologist Boris Behnke, the eruption likely began in the afternoon but only became visible after nightfall. Since Thursday, volcanic tremor has been increasing, indicating rising magma. Additionally, weak Strombolian eruptions and ash emissions were observed.

Seismic activity beneath Etna had already intensified last month, suggesting magma ascent. Whether this magma has reached the surface remains uncertain. More likely, the rising magma increased pressure in a shallow reservoir, forcing stored molten rock to escape. The gas pressure is insufficient for an explosive eruption from the main craters, but if larger volumes of fresh magma reach higher levels of the conduit system, paroxysmal eruptions could occur.

Kilauea: A sudden volcanic eruption at 23th December

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A sudden volcanic eruption occurred today at Kilauea in Hawaii. The eruption began at 2:20 AM HST (13:20 UTC), rapidly filling the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater with lava within minutes.

A livestream captured the moment when a fissure opened in the western part of the crater and quickly expanded. A powerful but short-lived lava fountain erupted from a previous eruption site. Within 35 minutes, lava had spread across most of the crater floor, forming a new lava lake. This lake continues to be fed by an active lava fountain at the western crater rim.

The eruption was preceded by a brief seismic crisis that began around 2:00 AM HST. Over the past 24 hours, more than 180 earthquakes were recorded, with increased seismic activity already detected yesterday. Surprisingly, there was no significant ground inflation, which is typically observed in the days and weeks before an eruption.

Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, last showed heightened seismic activity on December 4. This sudden eruption serves as a reminder of how unpredictable volcanic activity can be.

Stronger Explosion generated a Pyroclastic Flow at Kanlaon

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After strong explosion on Kanlaon: Alert Level Raised to “3”

Today, the Philippine volcano Kanlaon experienced a stronger explosion, resulting in volcanic ash rising and generating a pyroclastic density current. According to the Tokyo VAAC, the ash cloud reached an altitude of 6,700 meters and drifted westward, while the pyroclastic flow descended the volcano’s southeastern flank. Based on video footage, I estimate its glide distance to be approximately 2,800 to 3,000 meters. The footage also shows a shock wave rippling through the clouds.

Iceland: New eruption on 20th November

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On the evening of November 20, 2024, a new fissure eruption unexpectedly occurred along the Sundhnúkur crater row in Iceland. Volcanologists had not anticipated an eruption in November, as seismic activity had remained low in recent days. However, seismicity began to slowly increase by midday, without any clear warning signs. It wasn’t until 30 minutes before the eruption that a geothermal power plant operator reported rising pressure in boreholes, accompanied by a small earthquake swarm. The eruption began at approximately 11:14 PM local time.

A fissure approximately three kilometers long opened between Stóri Skógfell and Sýlingarfell. Three parallel fractures formed, emitting lava fountains. Two lava flows are moving north and west. The northern flow poses no threat to infrastructure, while the western flow is heading toward the Svartsengi geothermal power plant. Protective barriers are expected to shield the plant from the lava, which is advancing at a speed of 300 meters per hour. The main road to Grindavik has already been disrupted.

The intensity of the eruption remains uncertain. Although it appears smaller than the previous two eruptions, it could last longer, as more than 23 million cubic meters of magma have accumulated since September. The situation continues to develop unpredictably.

Lewotobi Lakilaki: Volcanic eruption causes fatalities

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At least 10 people die at Lewotobi Lakilaki – Volcanic ash reaches 12,000 meters

Last night, a volcanic disaster occurred on the Indonesian island of Flores when Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted violently. The exact sequence of the eruption is still not fully clarified. Around midnight local time, there was apparently a strong explosion, and ash and glowing tephra reached inhabited areas. Several buildings, including a Catholic monastery at the foot of the volcano, caught fire and burned down. At least ten people lost their lives, and several others were injured. The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) issued a VONA warning, reporting volcanic ash reaching up to 12,000 meters. The eruption cloud split and drifted in two directions: one cloud was blown westward, the other southeast. The alert level was raised from “Orange” to “Red.” The exclusion zone was expanded from 4 kilometers to 7 kilometers.

Shiveluch: Ash Eruption from the Old Dome

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The Shiveluch volcano on Kamchatka remains active, emitting large quantities of volcanic ash from the dome in the old part of the volcano. According to a report from the VAAC Tokyo, the ash reaches an altitude of 5,800 meters above sea level and is drifting eastward. A photo taken yesterday shows a dense ash cloud being pushed down by a strong storm and spreading flatly over the volcano. The well-developed ash cloud indicates intense volcanic activity. Notably, the ash is not coming from the lava dome of the young Shiveluch but from the dome in the old part of the volcano. This area only became active again after the major eruption last April. A new dome began to grow on the edge of the old dome, known as Karan, initially named Karan-1. Recently, in honor of the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Karan-1 was renamed and now bears the somewhat cumbersome name “300 years of RAS.”

Shiveluch is one of the most active and largest volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. It is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region known for its frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

New eruption started on Iceland

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On the evening of August 22, the anticipated volcanic eruption at Svartsengi in Iceland began. Around 9:25 PM, a new fissure opened along the Sundhnukur crater row. The initial activity was observed east of Sýlingarfell, where a steam plume rose over a kilometer high. From there, the fissure extended for 4.9 kilometers, primarily in a northern direction. Lava fountains erupted from the fissure, feeding lava flows that moved eastward and westward. There is again a risk that the main road to Grindavik, the Grindavíkurvegur, could be flooded by lava. However, no lava flows were initially observed heading toward Grindavik. Since the seismic activity was concentrated in the northern section of the Sundhnukur crater row, it was believed that the fissure would not extend further towards Grindavik.

The eruption was preceded by a brief seismic crisis that began at 8:48 PM UTC. Most of the epicenters were located between Stóra-Skógfell and Sýlingarfell, accompanied by increased pressure in boreholes. Minutes before the eruption, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) issued a warning that a magmatic intrusion was spreading and that an eruption was imminent.

Etna: The Sixth Paroxysm in a Row

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Last night, the sixth paroxysm in a row occurred at Mount Etna’s Voragine Crater on Sicily. By late afternoon, Europe’s highest volcano had already begun to intensify its activity. In the evening, the paroxysm became unstoppable and culminated in an impressive lava fountain. The peak of the eruption was only reached after midnight. The VAAC reported volcanic ash reaching an altitude of around 9,000 meters. Due to winds at different altitudes, the ash drifted both southeast and southwest. The latter ash cloud carried tephra towards Catania, where the airport was heavily affected by ashfall and had to be closed. Flight operations are expected to remain suspended until 6 p.m. today.

Stromboli with pyroclastic flows into the sea

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Intense lava overflow triggers pyroclastic flows on Stromboli – volcano blanketed in ash

This evening, Stromboli experienced several pyroclastic flows in quick succession. The activity started at 16:18 UTC (local time plus 2 hours) and continued for at least 45 minutes. The pyroclastic flows not only reached the coast but also extended several hundred meters into the sea. The live cam showed a large part of the volcano blanketed in ash. The ash moved toward Stromboli town, reaching an altitude of at least 2000 meters above sea level.

Etna. Paroxysm from Voragine

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Etna experiences a paroxysmal eruption from the Voragine crater, sending volcanic ash several kilometers into the sky.

In the afternoon, Strombolian activity at the Voragine summit crater escalated into a paroxysmal volcanic eruption. By 17:00 UTC, the VAAC Toulouse had recorded volcanic ash reaching an altitude of 4,600 meters. At that point, the eruption was still intensifying. The ash cloud is currently expected to rise significantly higher. The air traffic alert status has been upgraded to “red.” The volcanic ash drifted southeast, away from Catania airport, but flight operations could still be affected.