Volcanoes
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Alarm Clock

Fuego volcano in Guatemala enters new eruptive phase

Fuego volcano eruption
© Josue Decavele/ReutersLava flows from Fuego volcano during an eruption as seen from Alotenango, on the outskirts of Guatemala City, Guatemala, March 2.
Guatemalan authorities issued a warning Wednesday as the country's Fuego volcano, located near the capital, spewed ash into the air.

A spokesman for the country's disaster response agency, David de Leon, said the 3,763-meter (12,346-foot) high volcano had entered a new eruptive phase with increasing explosive activity, prompting an orange alert indicating danger.

The volcano sent ash plumes billowing more than 2,000 meters above the crater; they then spread as far as 40 kilometers to the west, southwest and north, the spokesman said.

He added that rural communities surrounding the volcano, as well as the urban municipalities of San Pedro Yepocapa and Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa de Escuintla, reported fine ash particles falling from the sky.


Attention

Fears of imminent eruption of largest active volcano on Earth; small earthquakes recorded at Mauna Loa, Hawaii

Mauna Loa could erupt at any minute
© GettyMauna Loa could erupt at any minute
Small earthquakes dotted around the world's biggest active volcano has Hawaiians in a stir in fears that it may begin spewing lava at any minute.

Mauna Loa, located on the Island of Hawaii, is one of the biggest active volcanoes and in recent years, the USGS (US Geological Survey) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has detected more frequent seismic activity in the region.

The volcano has not erupted since 1984 and is long overdue an eruption having blown 10 times in the 20th century prior to this.

The US's National Park Service writes: "When Mauna Loa erupts, voluminous, fast-moving lava flows can reach the ocean in only a few hours, severing roads and utilities and repaving the volcano's flanks along the way.

"Since 1843, Mauna Loa has erupted 33 times, most recently in 1984, when lava flows reached to within 4 miles (6.4 km) of Hilo."

Attention

Eruption warning issued for Mount Io volcano in Japan

Mount Io
© Wikipedia/ Miya.mMount Io
Japan's weather agency on Sunday issued an alert for the possible eruption of a volcano in the southwest of the country.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that following an increase in noticeable seismic activity and based on recent eruptions, Mt. Io, which spans both Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures, has been issued with a no-entry warning.

The municipal government of Ebino city has declared a no-entry zone around the crater of Mt. Io, which is part of the Kirishima mountains, according to the Kyodo News Agency.

JMA said the alert was issued in light of more than 30 volcanic-related temblors being recorded as of noon Sunday, following increased volcanic activity at the 1,317-meter volcano since last year, in the Kyushu region of Japan.

Attention

Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador: Explosion produces ash plume 5000 meters tall

Eruption plume of Tungurahua volcano
© J.L Espinosa-Naranjo @Ambalaser / twitter)Eruption plume of Tungurahua volcano yesterday
Two moderately large explosions occurred at the volcano yesterday noon from 12:12 local time. The first and larger explosion produced an ash plume that rose approx. 5000 meters above the summit.

The ash plume dispersed mainly to the west and northwest where ash fall occurred in areas including Choglontús, Pillate, Cahuaji and El Manzano.

According to IGEPN, the eruption - which came after a 3 months interval of quiet since last November - was most likely NOT the result of new magma, but instead of accumulated gas pressure in the upper conduit. Magmatic gasses (H2O, CO2 etc) still contained in older magma inside the conduit was being released quietly as the magma continued to cool and crystallize, but most of these gasses were being trapped beneath a solid plug. With time, the gas pressure increased to the critical point: the plug gave way in yesterday's explosions.

The explosion itself, a typical so-called "vulcanian"-type eruption, was preceded only by a short (lasting little more than an hour), but intense seismic swarm of shallow earthquakes caused by internal fluid movements and rock fracturing as pressurized gasses started to disintegrate the overlying plug.

Tungurahua volcano eruption in Ecuador on February 26, 2016
© TwitterTungurahua volcano eruption in Ecuador on February 26, 2016

Arrow Up

Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupts twice in one day, spewing ash and smoke 3,000 meters high

Mount Sinabung eruption
© Youtube/BBC News
The Sinabung volcano in Indonesia erupted twice yesterday, sending avalanches of smoke as high as 3,000 metres to the east.

Authorities were closely monitoring Mount Sinabung on Sumatra, one of Indonesia's main islands, after putting it on the highest alert level in early June 2010.

Agus Salihin, a volcanologist at the Sinabung observation post, said the eruption was one of the biggest since early last year.

Sinabung volcano has been erupting continually since 2010 after being dormant for 400 years.

The Indonesian government said an area as far as 3.5 kilometres away had been declared a high-risk danger zone.

The government has set up an evacuation plan for civilians in the area and evacuated everyone in the high-risk danger zone.


Comment: For more information check out SOTT's Earth Changes Monthly Summaries at the bottom of our front page.


Attention

Experts sent in to monitor volcano hotspot in Nicaragua as 3 more magma mountains erupt

Nicaragua’s Momotombo Volcano continues to erupt after a century of inactivity, on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016.
© Álvaro Sánchez/The Tico TimesNicaragua’s Momotombo Volcano continues to erupt after a century of inactivity, on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016.

Disaster experts are keeping a close eye on a seismic hotspot after three large volcanoes began erupting with fears of a fourth in the offing.

Volcano experts from the US, UK, Costa Rica and local geologists are observing activity at four active peaks in Nicaragua after the flurry of explosions.

The biggest, and most active, is the enormous 1,297-metre Momotombo stratovolcano, near the city of León.

Momotombo, on the north of Lake Managua 25 miles from Nicaragua's capital Managua, blew for the first time in 110 years in December, and has been active ever since.

In a post about the situation Costa Rican English-speaking news site The Tico Times wrote it had sent "geologists and local townspeople into a tizzy"

Monotombo re-awoke with a spectacular explosion in December
© YouTubeMonotombo re-awoke with a spectacular explosion in December

Alarm Clock

Bulusan volcano in Philippines erupts, ejecting steam and ash

Bulusan volcano
© Youtube/Roman Jebulan (screen capture)
Bulusan Volcano spewed a grayish steam and an ash column reaching 500 meters on Monday afternoon, February 22, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.

In the latest bulletin issued by PHIVOLCS at 6:00 pm, Bulusan Volcano's ash fall occurred at 5:01 pm, which also reflected as an explosion type earthquake that lasted for four minutes and twenty-one seconds.

PHIVOLCS detected a total of 12 volcanic earthquakes prior to the ash fall.

The agency raised Alert Level 1 over Bulusan Volcano and the public is reminded not to go inside the 4-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) due to risks of sudden steam and ash explosions.


Attention

2 volcanoes erupt within two hours in Nicaragua

Momotombo volcano erupts
© IBTimesMomotombo volcano erupts with ash and lava for first time in 110 years on December 2015.
The Telica and Momotombo volcanoes are two stratovolcanoes in Nicaragua.

On February 13, 2016 both erupted within two hours. Enhanced volcanic activity in the region.

According to the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies (INETER), the Telica volcano, located in the Leon department, erupted at 8:28 a.m. Saturday morning, launching a column of ash and gas some 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) into the air. At least 20 smaller eruptions were recorded at the volcano in the subsequent hours. Ashfall was reported in some nearby communities.

About two hours after the first explosion at Telica, the Momotombo volcano - which had been essentially dormant for 100 years before exploding to life in December - launched a column of ash and gas more than 1,600 feet (500 meters) into the air.



Attention

Zhupanovsky volcano in Kamchatka erupts; ash plume 10km high

Zhupanovsky volcano
© Tatyana KozorogZhupanovsky volcano
A stronger eruption occurred in the evening of 12 Feb, producing an ash plume that rose to estimated 34,000 ft (10 km) altitude and drifted more than 300 km east over the Pacific. VAAC Tokyo maintains Aviation Color ORANGE.

Ash plume from Zhupanovsky volcano
Ash plume from Zhupanovsky volcano

Attention

Fuego volcano spews ash onto nearby towns in Guatemala

Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupts with fiery lava.
Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupts with fiery lava.
A restive volcano near Guatemala's capital spewed ash on nearby towns Wednesday, including on a colonial-era city popular with tourists, officials said.

The overnight eruption of Fuego Volcano - whose name means "fire" in Spanish -sent ash billowing up to five kilometers (three miles) into the sky and rivers of lava up to two kilometers long, according to Guatemala's Volcanology Institute.

Light tremors were also felt up to 25 kilometers away.

Strong gusts of wind could carry the clouds of "fine ash particles" to Guatemala City, 45 kilometers distant, said David de Leon, a spokesman for the government's disaster coordination service.