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Volcano News from Ol Doinyo Lengai:

The crater of Lengai with active natrocarbonatite lava on its floor (photo: Michael Dalton-Smith)
Monday, Oct 11, 2010
Our friend Michael Dalton-Smith flew over Lengai 10 Oct 2010 and snapped a few shots of the crater. There were some recent small lava flows inside th... [more]
Tuesday, Apr 08, 2008
Over the past three weeks, Lengai has quietened down significantly. Observers report a complete pause in activity lasting about two weeks, and then re... [more]

-> Lengai volcano photos

An explosive eruption from Tanzania's Ol Doinyo volcano in 1966.  Explosive activity began in August 1966, near the end of an eruption beginning in 1960 that consisted of quiet emission of lava flows in the summit crater.  Ash deposits from previous eruptions whiten the volcano's slopes like snow. (Photo by Gordon Davies, 1966 / courtesy of Celia Nyamweru, Kenyatta University).
An explosive eruption from Tanzania's Ol Doinyo volcano in 1966. Explosive activity began in August 1966, near the end of an eruption beginning in 1960 that consisted of quiet emission of lava flows in the summit crater. Ash deposits from previous eruptions whiten the volcano's slopes like snow. (Photo by Gordon Davies, 1966 / courtesy of Celia Nyamweru, Kenyatta University).
The active north crater of Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano
The active north crater of Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano
Observing strombolian eruptions of black natrocarbonatite lava at Lengai volcano
Observing strombolian eruptions of black natrocarbonatite lava at Lengai volcano
Night-time scene inside the active crater of Lengai
Night-time scene inside the active crater of Lengai
Whitened natrocarbonatite lava and a steep crater cone,- called hornito
Whitened natrocarbonatite lava and a steep crater cone,- called hornito

Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano eruptions

stratovolcano 2890 m
Tanzania, -2.75°S / 35.9°E
Eruption list: 1550 BC (?), 50 AD (?), 700 AD (?), 1350 (?), 1880, 1882, 1904, 1907, 1914, 1916, 1921, 1926, 1940, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1967, 1983, 1994, 2006, 2007-ongoing


Activity in 2010 - natrocarbonatite flows on the crater bootom
The crater of Lengai with active natrocarbonatite lava on its floor on 10 Oct 2010 (photo: Michael Dalton-Smith)Zoom onto the active vent and a possible lava lake inside the crater of Lengai volcano (photo: Michael Dalton-Smith)Similarly to previous phases, new natrocarbonatite lava is being erupted from vents at the bottom of the new crater. If this activity continues, it might once again fill the crater.

Links and further info:

The Ol Doinyo Lengai web site / it.stlawu.edu/~cnya/
Celia Nyamweru’s Website - This is the most comprehensive website on the history of Ol Doinyo Lengai, by an expert on the Rift Valley.
OL DOINYO LENGAI - The Mountain of God / www.mtsu.edu/~fbelton/lengai.html
Fred Belton's extensive website dedicated to Lengai. Fred visits Lengai (almost) every year and comes back with lots of information and observation about the volcano's activity. Extensive News, other links, expedition infos, photos.