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.

Nyiragongo erupts

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Currently, media reports are doing the rounds, according to which the volcano Nyiragongo in Congo has erupted. Eyewitnesses describe high “flames” shooting out of the volcano. Photos show a red illuminated night sky above the volcano’s flank. Many residents of the city of Goma are fleeing in panic toward Rwanda. They fear that a lava flow could reach the city and leave a new swath of devastation, much like what last happened in 2002.

Local volcanologists have been warning for months that a flank eruption could occur. a team is on its way to the volcano to investigate the situation in more detail. According to initial statements by the researchers, there has not been a stronger earthquake. This would speak against a large fissure formation and the leaking of the lava lake, because such a process would have to be reflected on the seismometers, if there are any.

Some voices suggest that the eruption could also occur at the neighboring Nyamuragira volcano. It had last erupted in 2011 in the lower flank area. MIROVA yesterday detected a slight increase in thermal radiation with 1600 MW power, but new values should come in soon, which would allow a more accurate attribution.

Etna: Paroxysm No 23

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Tonight another paroxysmal spectacle occurred at Mount Etna, the most powerful volcano in Europe. The 23rd paroxysm -since December 2020- started around 1:00 UCT and lasted almost 2 hours. In terms of strength, it was comparable to the May 19 eruption, just did not last as long. New Southeast Crater produced a comparatively small lava fountain along with an ash cloud. According to VAAC, it rose up to an altitude of 6100 m. A lava flow headed south, emitting extremely high thermal radiation with more than 11,000 MW of power. As before, no lava flowed into the Valle del Bove. The vents to the east of NSEC were apparently not involved in the eruption. What will happen next is completely open. At the moment, it looks as if the eruption interval will shorten again.

Stromboli with pyroclastic flow

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Stromboli experienced a collapse event at noon today that resulted in a pyroclastic flow. It flowed over Sciara del Fuoca and slid a good 1000 m out to sea. A few minutes earlier, INGV registered an increase in explosive activity.

It is reported that a lava flow is on the way on Sciara del Fuoco. A helicopter has left on an observation flight to gather more information. Slight inflation is registered in the area of the fire slide. It amounts to 0.2 microrad. Apparently there were several pyroclastic flows. The situation is still somewhat obscure.

Pacaya: New lava flow

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For a good 10 days, it looked like things were easing at Pacaya in Gautemala, but since yesterday a new lava flow has been flowing. It is again coming from a fissure on the volcano’s southwest flank, and the flow rate currently looks like it has the potential to produce a long lava flow again. INSIVUMEH also reported strombolian activity from McKenney crater. Incandescent tephra rises up to 225 m above crater level. There were no major ash eruptions.

Fagradalsfjall: Lava fountain higher

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Fagradalsfjall: Lava fountain higher

Since yesterday, activity at Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano increased. The rise of the lava fountain has increased significantly and the crater cone is growing. The same is true for the lava flow. Seismicity along the dyke is moderate. On the other hand, yesterday there was a magnitude 3.8 quake at the Hengil volcanic system, associated with a swarm quake. Already in the last days there was an increased seismicity there.

Fagradalsfjall: crater cone grows

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Activity continues at the Icelandic volcano Fagradalsfjall. It is increasingly confined to the hornito on fissure 5, whose main vent has grown significantly in size. It produces a permanent lava fountain and feeds a lava flow. The hornito has the potential to develop into a cinder cone. Seismicity along the fissure system continues to be moderate, with a slight downward trend. IMO recorded 95 quakes on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the last 48 hours. In addition, there was also a small swarm under Katla.

Merapi: further pyroclastic flows

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During the night 4 more pyroclastic flows erupted from the dome of Merapi volcano on Java. They produced seismic signals with a maximum amplitude of 55 mm and 161 seconds duration. The slip distance may have been around 1000 m. In addition, 82 debris avalanches were recorded within 6 hours.

Pacaya: Pioneers build protective barrier

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Date: 13.04.2021 | Location: 14.383°, -90.599° | Eruption: Vulcanian | Link

Eruption at Guatemala’s Pacaya volcano continues at high levels, with pulses of explosive eruptions from McKenney crater. Volcanic ash rises to 3500 m altitude and ash precipitation occurs. But the bigger problem is the lava flow that travels on the western flank of the volcano and has reached a length of 3700 meters. The lava flow is branching and moving onto farmland where coffee and avocado plantations are burning. The flow front is 400 meters from the first houses of the village of El Patrocinio and is advancing slowly. Another active front from the south is 250 meters east of the village of El Rodeo. A cooperative effort of sappers and civil defense has built a 175-meter-long dam, diverting portions of the lava flow. The terrain is hilly and the villages are protected by the topography. The question is, for how much longer?

Fagradalsfjall: 4 new vents built

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Date: 14.04.2021 | Location: 63.903, -22.273 | Eruption: Hawaiian| Link

Yesterday, four more vents opened at Fagradalsfjall in Iceland. They manifested themselves in the already known area, between the first two vents and emitted comparatively much lava shortly after their formation, without any reduction of the production rate at the other vents. Thus, 2 lava streams flowed in different directions. In the meantime, the lava output has decreased again. The gas output doubled in the last days.

A total of 8 short fissures, or vents, have formed so far. On most of them hornitos were formed. More fissures may open above the magmatic vein at any time. GPS measurements show that the lava outflow outweighs the magma inflow from the depths and the area is subsiding.

The question of whether the eruption could develop into an eruption like the Laki eruption keeps popping up on social media. I think this is very unlikely, nevertheless the strength of the eruption can continue to fluctuate and nobody knows yet how long the natural spectacle will last. Comparable eruptions sometimes lasted for years.

Piton de la Fournaise: New eruption started

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Date: 10.04.2021 | Location: -21.23, 55.717 | Eruption: Hawaiian| Link

With so many volcanic eruptions, Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion) of course cannot hold back any longer and joins the eruption round. On Friday evening, at 7 pm local time, an eruption fissure opened in the south of the caldera and the first eruption of the year began. Due to the Corona-related curfew, there were no pictures at first, but in the meantime photographers are on their way. It is a comparatively small eruption fissure of about 150 m length. Up to 20 m high lava fountains feed a lava flow. It has flowed a good 1.5 km so far. (Sources: IPR, OVPF)