The volcano's last eruption from the Kimanura fissure NE of the summit caldera seems to have ended by now. Until early to mid March, a lava lake was observed in the eastern vent and a strong heat source could be detected on satellite imagery, but has now disappeared.
Seismic explosion signals from a source under the summit were noted on 24 February from the summit crater and overflights showed increased degassing from the central pit, which contained a lava lake until 1940. This activity increased in April and a strong SO2 odor from this area suggests the presence of near-surface magma. Scientists and the park rangers are speculating about the possibility that a new lava lake in the summit crater might be about to form. [less]

According to AFP, the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF) has said that the 2 German tourists have already been handed over to representatives of the Afar tribe and from there to the German Embassy staff on Monday.
The German Foreign Office has not yet officially confirmed this information. [less]

The rebel Afar Revolutionary Democratic Unity Front (ARDUF) has claimed responsibility for the attack, and added that the kidnapped 2 German tourists and two Ethiopian guides are in good health and will be released if there is a "positive" diplomatic outcome with Ethiopia who blames Eritrea to support ARDUF, Reuters reported.
In the meanwhile, tour groups are returning to the area again. The Ethiopian government was said to have established a semi permanent military unit to increase safety for tourists at the volcano. [less]

"We heard a heavy explosion followed by some earth vibrations. It lasted about 7 seconds. There were flames and sulphuric acid coming out of a spot where we found ash and we decided to go back down," Peter Linonge Buma, a guide accompanying the tourists is quoted in a news article.
The explosions seem to be strong enough to rattle doors and windows in nearby villages where most residents are preparing to evacuate. [less]

According to our correspondent in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian Government is mobilizing mechanized troops and fenced the near border with Eritrea (where the attackers presumably came from) and establish a permanent special security force in the Dallol and Ert Ale areas. This illustrates the peculiar situation in this region, but according to tour operators in Ethiopia, the area can now be considered "100% safe".
Unfortunately, there is no good news yet about the fate of the 4 abducted German tourists and Ethiopian guides, except that negotiations between the various parties involved (governments from Germany, Ethiopia, Eritrea and the local Afar chiefs) are "ongoing". We hope for their liberation soon! [less]

http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/photos/nyamuragira/22-25jan12-activity.html (the activity from the new East Kimanura vent)
http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/photos/nyiragongo/eruption2011-12/expedition.html (expedition and people) [less]

The second vent complex, which had started to form at the NE end of the eruptive fissure in late Dec or early Jan with about one week of constant fountaining, consists of probably 3 coalescent cones.
The middle and largest of them contained a crater filled with boiling lava, i.e. a small lava lake, which was strongly spattering every few seconds. The lava lake itself was not visible, but could be inferred from the strong glow and the hissing degassing noise of exploding gas bubbles that ejected liquid spatter bombs in all directions. [less]

For years now, this has been a popular camping spot for tourists visiting the spectacular lava lake. According to our correspondents in Addis, who are in satellite phone contact with guides on location in the area, the attack happened on Tuesday around 01:00 Am local time.
5 people at least were shot dead by a group of armed rebels from Eritrea, who suddenly opened fire on the group. The victims include tourists 2 each from Germany and Hungary and 1Austrian. Their bodies have arrived in Semera town, the capital city of the Afar Region, and are now being transported to Addis. [less]

The island, whose name yet needs to be published, belongs to Yemen.
If it consists of sufficiently large quantities of hard lava flows instead of loose ash and scoria, it will probably resist wave eruption long enough to become a permanent feature in the archipelago, but it will certainly take some time before it can possibly be inhabited (if anyone wants to live there anyway...). [less]

We are planning an expedition to see this eruption in the next week. If you are interested, please get in touch with us as soon as possible!
Planned tour date: 21 Jan (arrival in Kigali) - 25 Jan (back to Kigali) [less]

<iframe width="460" height="264" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/b2RlsEMDa60?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Our expedition group just returned from a visit to the area on 8 Jan and a series of spectacular images and videos is now available.
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This new satellite image, acquired January 7, 2012, suggests that the eruption has risen nearly completely above water. A plume of steam, other volcanic gases, and ash spews from a distinct cone. The land surrounding the vent has grown, and is now about 530 by 710 meters (1,700 by 2,300 feet) across. Once above water, past eruptions in the Zubair Islands were primarily effusive, with relatively runny lava forming thin lava flows.
In contrast to the fragmented rock that forms when lava interacts directly with water, lava that solidifies on land is tough, so this new island is likely to be permanent. [less]

Nyamuragira (also spelled Nyamulagira), is a massive basaltic shield volcano located north of Goma (DR Congo) and near the other active volcano, Nyiragongo, famous for its permanent lava lake.
Nyamuragira is one of Africa's largest and most active volcanoes. Its current eruption started in November 2012 from a flank vent located in an uninhabited area about 10 km ENE side of the volcano's summit. [less]