A new eruption started at Karthala volcano (the 4th within two years). Details of the eruption are still scarse, but observations from the capital Moroni (15 km distant) suggest that the activity might not take place in the Chungu Chahale crater, where the other recent eruptions were located, but north of it or perhaps even outside the caldera.
Residents of Moroni report seing "jets of red flames above the summit of Karthala" in the night of 12-13 January. On 13 January, eruptive tremor was low but a number of earthquakes could be felt in Moroni and an ash plume was observed above the volcano.

According to news articles, eruptive activity at Karthala that occurred on 28 May had ceased. No seismic activity was detected during 31 May to 1 June.

Local newspapers report that the eruption at Karthala volcano already has ended, with the lava lake being crusted over and seismicity having decreased to background levels on the afternoon of June, 1st, 2006.

AFP press photo of Kartala volcano on 30 May, 2006

The lava lake at the crater bottom is still active, alimented by one or two fountains. No lateral fissures have opened and the amount of gas and ash released is small.

A new eruption at Karthala volcano started on the evening of Sunday 28 May 2006 at 18h05 local time. Fresh magma has formed a lava lake inside Chungu Chahalé crater in the caldera. Different from the last eruptions in 2005, no explosive activity was reported at the beginning of the eruption, only a thick plume of gas and steam above the crater, extending 60 km to the northwest. The absence of explosive activity can be explained because the crater contained no water.

Karthala volcano's second eruption in 2005 ended after 14 days on 8 Dec. 2005 as the Karthala volcano observatory communicated. In its initial phase, the eruption had been driven by phreatomagmatic phase, ejecting large blocks up to 400 m around the crater and producing a lot of ash that cuased severe problems in the south-east and south-west of the island, and particularly in the capital Moroni.

Karthala volcano on Comoros Island erupted for the second time this year on Thursday 24th of November. Ther eruption was probably phreatic and caused by vaporization of ground water in contact with a shallow magma body underneath the crater. Substantial ash falls caused problems in the nearby capital Moroni, where authorities ordered water tankers into the streets to wash away the thick blankets of white ash from the eruption.

No further activity of the Karthala Volcano has been reported since May 24 and the eruption can be considered to be over by now.
About 10,000 persons had been displaced but returned to their homes immediately after the eruption declined. Work is underway to restore potable water and sanitation facilities to an estimated number of about 40,000 affected by volcanic ash fallout.

Location of the Comoros Islands (map from press agency Reuters)

Karthala volcano, a shield volcano on Grande Comore, the largest of the Comoros Islands, 300 km off the east coast of Africa, began to erupt on April 17th.
The eruption began with increased seismic activity, and emission of steam and increasing amounts of ash that are causing severe breathing problems in the area immediately near the volcano. From an airplane observation it is apparent that a small lava lake is accumulating inside the crater, giving concern to the possibility of a sudden outbreak.