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.

Soufrière: Explosive eruption on St. Vincent

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Date: 09.04.2021 | Location: 13.34, -61.18 | Eruption: Pelanian

This morning, at 8.41 AM local time, the expected explosive eruption occurred at Soufrière volcano on St. Vincent. The Washington VAAC reports an ash cloud that is said to have risen to an altitude of 4000 meters. However, judging from images, the cloud penetrated to higher altitudes. According to media reports, the cloud reached a height of 6100 m. Shortly before the eruption, the alert level was raised from “orange” to “red”.

Evacuations were already ordered yesterday. The northern third of the Caribbean island is affected. In Georgetown alone, 1700 people must be brought to safety.

Soufrière: Evacuations initiated

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Date: 08.04.2021 | Location: 13.34, -61.18 | Eruption: Lava dome | Link

Evacuations have been initiated on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. The reason for this is a significant increase in dome growth, which is accompanied by a significant increase in seismicity. Thus, 6 tremor episodes of increasing magnitude were reported yesterday. In addition, there were volcanotectonic tremors. The dome grew strongly and gained significant height. Moreover, it is not only fumarolically active, but has incandescent material on its surface. From the observatory, red glow could be observed over the crater at night.

Pacaya: Lava flow increased

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The situation at the Guatemalan volcano Pacaya continues to be tense: episodes of explosive eruptions occur, with volcanic ash rising to an altitude of 3000 m and being carried by the wind for about 20 km. Ash precipitation occurs in several localities. Incandescent tephra rises up to 225 m high. More worrisome is the lava flow traveling on the west side of the volcano. It originates from a fissure located relatively far down the outer flank of McKenney cone. The lava has already traveled a distance of 3000 m and destroyed some farm buildings. The lava front at the affected Campo Alegre farm stopped yesterday, but the front at La Breña reactivated. In fact, it is not excluded that the lava reaches the village of El Patrocinio, because the lava flow has been only about 300 m from the village.

Etna Paroxysm No 17

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The 17th Etna paroxysm is occurring at Etna in Sicily this morning. The volcanic eruption is different from its predecessors this year. Already in the warm-up phase, a lava flow began to flow yesterday morning, originating from a production vent at the base of the New Southeast Crater Cone (NSEC). Earlier, explosive activity from the summit craters was already increasing. The tremor rose slowly and accelerated its increase in the evening hours. Since then it has been steadily increasing and in parallel the activity increased. Currently (9:15 a.m. CEST), an ash cloud is being produced. VAAC detects ash at 6700 m altitude. The wind is moving it in a southerly direction towards Catania. At night, glowing lava fountains were visible on LiveCams. There are 2 major lava flows. One pours directly from the NSEC and flows towards Valle del Bove. There the lava flow of yesterday finally lands. It makes a detour over the southeast.

Fagradalsfjall: Volcanic eruption in Iceland continues

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The volcanic eruption in Iceland, which began late in the evening of March 19, continues. According to the latest reports, at least 4 hornitos that formed on the short eruption fissure are still active at Fagradalsfjall. Lava spattering takes place from them and they feed lava flows that flood the bottom of the Geldingadali valley. Seismicity has continued to decrease sharply, yet IMO recorded 446 earthquakes in the last 48 hours. Two tremors had magnitudes above 3.

Pacaya: Activity level remains high

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Pacaya in Guatemala continues to be very active, with repeated pulses of volcanic ash rising as high as 4300 meters. Lava flows are active in the south, emerging relatively far down the flank. MIROVA is registering high thermal radiation with 887 MW output. CONRED reported yesterday that a lava flow reached farmland and started fires. Firefighters had to move in to extinguish the burning grassland. Three homesteads were affected.

Iceland: volcanic eruption has begun

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Last night, the expected volcanic eruption began in Iceland. Although it was known that magma was accumulating underground, the start last night, at 20.45 local time, nevertheless came as a surprise, as all parameters actually pointed to relaxation of the situation. In the Geldingadali valley, on the southeastern edge of Fagradalsfjall, a 500-700 m eruption fissure opened. A series of smaller lava fountains emerged, feeding 2 lava flows. Yesterday evening the eruption was still relatively small, just as volcanologists had expected. There have been no major explosions so far, it is a purely effusive eruption. Ash clouds and an accompanying impairment of air traffic are not expected. However, Keflavik Airport could be affected, as it is located only a few kilometers from the eruption site. The greatest impairment is likely to come from gas emissions, which are often associated with fissure eruptions. Especially in the valley where the eruption is taking place, life-threatening gas concentrations could result if there is no wind. However, it is almost never windless on Iceland.

Etna: Paroxysm No 15 has started

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Original news 9:15 a.m.: Even as I typed the report below, Etna started through and began Paroxysm No 15. The tremor shoots up and an ash cloud is ejected, rapidly increasing in size. In addition, a lava flow begins to flow. Visibility conditions are poor, but the localteam is attempting a livestream. They are located to the east of the volcano, in a parking lot below Valle del Bove.

Update 10:25 a.m.: The paroxysm is in full swing and may have reached its peak. Gaps in the clouds give a view now and then, but most of the livecams are below the cloud line. Only the webcams above 1900 m have consistently clear views. These include a thermalcam of the INGV and the SkylineCam near the upper cable car station. So far, the paroxysm is running without any big surprises.

Pacaya volcano continues to erupt volcanic ash

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Guatemala’s Pacaya is also located in close proximity to the capital: here, it is only a good 25 km as the crow flies to the center of Guatemala City. Accordingly, even moderate eruptions of the volcano often affect the capital and disrupt air traffic. Also in the last 24 hours Pacaya was active and produced volcanic ash. It rose to a height of 4000 meters. The ash drifted up to 25 km in a southwesterly direction. Ash precipitation occurred in the communities of El Rodeo and El Patrocinio. Volcanic bombs dispersed up to 500 m around McKenney crater. The lava flow on the southern flank is 1000 m long. From its front, block avalanches are coming down.

Pinatubo: Seismicity increased

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Pinatubo in the Philippines is seismically unsettled. Yesterday PHILVOLCS detected 25 volcanotectonic earthquakes at the volcano on Luzon. The previous day, there were 8 tremors. The alert status is at “1.” It is interesting that at the beginning of the phase with increased seismicity, it was stated that the tremors were tectonic in nature. Apparently, the activity has shifted. It is also interesting that the capital Manila is encircled by the two volcanoes: while the Taal caldera is located 70 km south of Manila, Pinatubo is located 100 km northwest of the capital. Large eruptions could have a correspondingly strong impact on the metropolis, depending on the wind direction.