Volcanoes

Iceland: Small earthquake swarm in Krísuvík volcano

Jón Frímann
Iceland Volcano and Earthquake blog
Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:51 UTC

© Unknown

The Krísuvík volcanic system (also spelled Krysuvik) consists of a group of NE-SW-trending basaltic crater rows and small shield volcanoes cutting the central Reykjanes Peninsula west of Kleifarvatn lake. Several eruptions have taken place since the settlement of Iceland, including the eruption of a large lava flow from the Ogmundargigar crater row around the 12th century. The latest eruption at Krísuvík took place during the 14th century.

Currently there is a small earthquake swarm in Krísuvík volcano. This earthquake swarm is small and is only about 20 or so earthquakes at current time. It is impossible to know if this earthquake swarm is going to continue or grow at present time. But it is not uncommon in this area for a small earthquake swam to be a warm up for a larger one. But as always there is just a wait and see what happens in the area.

Mt. Bulusan Erupts: Major Volcano Eruption In Philippines

Huffington Post
Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:52 UTC

Philippines volcano Mount Bulusan erupted on Monday morning at 9:15 a.m. local time, per the ABS-CBN News Channel.

Ash and steam from the explosion reached as high as 2 kilometers, according to the report.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer posted this photo of the Mount Bulusan eruption to Posterous.

Journalist Harold Geronimo of Manila, Philippines, was the first to report the eruption on Twitter, sending this tweet from his Blackberry minutes after the eruption.

Mount Bulusan had increased volcanic activity in November 2010, spewing ash and steam over several days (the photo above is from Nov. 2010). Families were evacuated at the time.

US: Pele shows 'a lot more' Big Island activity

Gregg K. Kakesako
Star Advertiser
Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:50 UTC

Increased volcanic activity continues at the summit of Kilauea and at the Puu Oo vent.

Lava is flowing from another east cone and a vent on the east wall of Puu Oo into the crater. Hawaii Volcano Observatory released a video Wednesday of the activity in the crater. The flow continued, off and on, Thursday and yesterday.

A lava lake in Halemaumau is also active.

A section of rock above the summit vent collapsed into the lake Monday, sending gas and ash into the air and creating loud popping that could be heard by visitors at the Jaggar Museum overlook in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Lava ash and "Pele's hair" - fine strands of cooled lava - dusted cars in the parking lot.

Lava Lake at Kilauea has Reached One of its Highest Levels Ever

Teri Okita
Hawaii News Now
Fri, 18 Feb 2011 01:17 UTC

Scientists on the Big Island say it's been an especially active week at Kilauea volcano - as it continues to erupt in two locations: on the east rift zone and at the summit.

The volcanic activity along the summit has died down a little since Monday - when the lava lake at Halemaumau crater reached one of the highest levels ever observed. But it's still fascinating for both geologists and tourists alike.

Kilauea's fiery summit cauldron ripped open this week, and its beauty is matched only by the roar of its fury. Summit activity isn't as intense as it was earlier in the week, but the changes have delighted scientists.

"It is an exciting time for volcanologists," says Janet Babb of the U.S. Geological Survey's Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. "This is the job that we're trained to do and the kind of research that we're involved in, so it has been exciting."

On Monday, they watched as a number of rocks fell into Kilauea's summit vent. Sulfur dioxide emissions remain elevated. Babb explains, "Large sections of the rim of the vent fell into the lava lake below. It caused a lot of degassing, and in a few instances, some explosive events that caused a lot of dusty, ashy plumes to rise skyward."

Philippines: 7 volcanic quakes recorded at Taal

GMA News
Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:59 UTC

Taal Volcano in Batangas province showed renewed activity on Wednesday, with state volcanologists recording at least seven quakes in the last 24 hours.

In its Thursday report, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reiterated Taal's main crater remains off limits to the public.

"Alert Level 1 is still enforced over Taal Volcano. This means that a hazardous eruption is not imminent. However, the public is reminded that the main crater should be strictly off-limits due to sudden occurrence of steam explosions and accumulation of toxic gases," Phivolcs said on its website.

It added that the northern portion of the main crater rim, in the vicinity of Daang Kastila trail, may also be dangerous when increased steam emission is reactivated along existing fissures.

Phivolcs also reminded the public that the entire Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and permanent settlement in the island is strictly not recommended.

See the complete table on the Phivolcs website.

Residents near Japanese volcano urged to evacuate

Saika Takano
Reuters
Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:25 UTC

More than 2,500 people living near a volcano that has been spewing ash in southern Japan were advised to evacuate their homes Thursday after heavy rain threatened mudslides of accumulated ash, a local official said.

Shinmoedake began erupting in late January, in its biggest activity in some 300 years. The volcanic activity has disrupted airline flights and blanketed nearby vegetable farms with ash, but there have been no reports of serious injury or deaths.

The Japan Meteorological Agency expected rainfall of more than 4 mm (0.16 inch) per hour to last until Thursday night, an amount that the local government said could cause mudslides.

The official, in the city of Miyakonojo, said 63 people had moved to evacuation centers by midday.

USGS Watching Mount St. Helen's Volcano Following Earthquake Swarm

Tamara L. Morris
Yahoo News
Tue, 15 Feb 2011 11:55 UTC

The United States Geological Survey is watching the Mount St. Helen's volcano closely after a series of earthquakes struck on Monday. The area around Mount St. Helen's in Washington state has been experiencing minor earthquakes since an initial quake measuring 4.3 in magnitude struck around 10:35 a.m. local time, according to the USGS. Since that first quake, several smaller aftershocks were registered ranging between 1.0 and 2.8 in magnitude.

All of these earthquakes were centered in an area approximately five to six miles north of the Mount St. Helen's crater near the Johnston Ridge Observatory. The quakes were registered at depths between 1.7 and 3.7 miles. In total, at least 12 small earthquakes were registered in the area since the first quake on Monday.

This series of small earthquakes occurring in approximately the same location over a short period of time is known as an earthquake swarm. According to the Global Volcanic Earthquake Swarm Database earthquake swarms are especially common around volcanoes and are often reliable methods of predicting an eruption but the Alaska Volcano Observatory website offered that there may be no need for alarm. The AVO website explained that while earthquake swarms may offer information that a volcano is becoming restless, they are not necessarily indicators of a pending eruption. According to the AVO, "Most seismic swarms are not precursors to eruptions."

US: 4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Near Mt. St. Helens

Michael Rollins and Pat Dooris
KGW
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 09:58 UTC

A 4.3 earthquake hit the Mt. St. Helens area about 10:35 a.m. Monday, followed by 30 aftershocks, according to a USGS seismologist.

USGS Seismologist Seth Moran told KGW the quake was centered near the Johnston Ridge Observatory, and registered on seismic devices as far away as Mt. Rainier and at Timberline Lodge.

Moran said the seismic event lasted about three to five seconds, and shaking from the quake lasted up to three minutes. He said there were at least 30 aftershocks.

USGS data on the 4.3quake

The 4.3 quake (pictured on the seismograph), originally rated as only a 3.3 magnitude event, happened at 10:35 a.m., about six miles north and northwest of the volcano and about three miles deep.

Hawaii: Lava lake at Halemaumau crater rising gradually, could spill out to crater floor

Honolulu Star Advertiser
Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:01 UTC

The lava lake at Kilauea's Halemaumau crater has been rising gradually in the last few months.

Volcanologists don't know what the significance of the rise is. It's possible that the lava could spill out of the pit and on to the crater floor, though this might take months to happen.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported the observatory's seismologists are also watching an increased number of earthquakes in the upper east rift zone.

Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory scientist-in-charge Jim Kauahikaua says the increase in seismicity somewhat resembled the prelude to a brief June 2007 eruption in a remote section of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. But there have also been several similar seismic episodes when nothing happened.

Kilauea is the world's longest continually erupting volcano. The east rift zone began erupting in 1983.

US: Quakes hit Mt. St. Helens, rattle Portland area

Bill Roberson
KATU.com
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:58 UTC

Portland, Oregon - Two earthquakes hit the Mount St. Helens area Monday morning, and one was strong enough to be felt in the Portland-Vancouver area.

KATU received many reports from viewers in the Portland area who said they felt the 10:35 a.m. temblor.

The initial quake measured 3.5 and was followed by a 2.5., but then the first quake was re-evaluated as a 4.3 - a fairly robust temblor. A 2.3 aftershock struck just before noon.

Quakes are now measured on a "magnitude scale" instead of the Richter Scale, according to KATU News Meteorologist Dave Salesky.

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Volcanoes

Iceland: Small earthquake swarm in Krísuvík volcano

Mt. Bulusan Erupts: Major Volcano Eruption In Philippines

US: Pele shows 'a lot more' Big Island activity

Lava Lake at Kilauea has Reached One of its Highest Levels Ever

Philippines: 7 volcanic quakes recorded at Taal

Residents near Japanese volcano urged to evacuate

USGS Watching Mount St. Helen's Volcano Following Earthquake Swarm

US: 4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Near Mt. St. Helens

Hawaii: Lava lake at Halemaumau crater rising gradually, could spill out to crater floor

US: Quakes hit Mt. St. Helens, rattle Portland area

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