Paluweh Volcano

Updated: Nov 3, 2025 15:41 GMT - refresh

stratovolcano

off Flores Island, Indonesia, -8.32°S / 121.71°E

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Summit height: 875 m / 2,871 ft

Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)

Last update: 8 Jan 2025 (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report)

Paluweh volcano (also known as Rokatenda), is the tip of a large, mostly submerged stratovolcano rising 3000 m from the sea floor. It forms a small 8 km wide island with the same name north of Flores Island. Paluweh has a complex summit composed of several overlapping craters and lava domes up to 900 m wide.
Several flank vents were formed by flank eruptions on a NW-trending fissure. The largest historical eruption of Paluweh in 1928 was highly explosive and produced a landslide triggering a tsumani.

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Paluweh webcams / live data | News/Updates | Earthquakes | Images

Typical eruption style: Explosive
Paluweh volcano eruptions: 2012-13, 1984-85(?), 1980-81, 1973, 1972-73, 1963-66, 1928, 1650

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Paluweh Volcano Photos

Naked trees silhouetted against the active lava dome of Paluweh volcano (Flores Sea, Indonesia) on 1 Dec 2012. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Rockfalls from Paluweh's active lava dome during the day, generating ash clouds. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

Ash venting from Paluweh volcano's new lava dome on 1 Dec 2012, Flores Sea, Indonesia (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

The 2012-13 lava dome of Paluweh volcano, Indonesia, Sep 2013 (Photo: Markus Heuer)

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Significant volcanic eruptions: Paluweh volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Paluweh has had at least 9 confirmed eruptions, all documented by historical records or observations.
There is one uncertain or discredited eruption in 1831 from Paluweh volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Paluweh volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Paluweh can be found on the news page of Paluweh volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Deaths	Damage
2012 Oct 8 - 2013 Oct 31 ±7 d.	Rokatenda Historical obs./docs.	3
2013 Aug 10 (eruptive episode 2013 Aug 07 - Aug 13)	Historical obs./docs.	3	5		Info
2013 Aug 10: Reference #2432: According to news articles, a partial lava-dome collapse at Paluweh on 10 August generated a pyroclastic flow that traveled N towards a beach village and killed at least 5 people. A volcanologist at the monitoring post for Paluweh noted that the eruption lasted seven minutes, and that the pyroclastic flow burned trees around the beach and villages, making it difficult to reach the victims. Pyroclastic flows continued to be reported hours after the initial eruption. Based on analyses of satellite imagery and wind data, the Darwin VAAC reported that an ash plume rose to an altitude of 4.3 km (14,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 130 km W. News sources noted that a mandatory evacuation order had caused some residents to evacuate prior to the eruption on 10 August, but nearly 10,000 still remained on the island. After the eruption, a rescue team was sent to evacuate about 2,000 people that remained inside a 3-km exclusion zone. A team member noted that rescuing people was difficult since they were reluctant to leave their livestock and homes, but also that the ground was hot and covered in 10-20 cm of ash. The VAAC reported that during 11-12 August ash plumes rose to an altitude of 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 110-130 km W. A news article noted that the eruptions were smaller on 12 August, but pyroclastic flows continued to be observed. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 0-4). Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
2013 Feb (eruptive episode 2013 Feb)	Historical obs./docs.	0		light	Info
2013 Feb: 13 February-19 February 2013. Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM) reported that activity at Paluweh during October 2012-January 2013 was characterized by lava-dome growth, incandescent avalanches, pyroclastic flows, ash plumes that rose as high as 4 km above the dome, and ejected material deposited 3 km away. The whole island was affected by ashfall, which was an average of 2 cm thick on some areas. Some infrastructure and several homes were damaged by ash and lahars. (reference #2432) Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1985 Feb 3	Rokatenda (west side of lava dome) Historical obs./docs.	1
1984 May 9 - May 21	Rokatenda (west side of lava dome) Historical obs./docs.	2
1980 Nov 5 - 1981 Sep 16 ±15 d.	Rokatenda Historical obs./docs.	2
1981 Sep 5 (eruption 1980 Nov 5 - 1981 Sep 16 ±15 d.)	Historical obs./docs.	2		light	Info
1981 Sep 5: Start Date: 1980 Nov 5, Stop Date: 1981 Sep. Area of Activity: Rokatenda. Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption, Explosive eruption, Pyroclastic flow(s), Lava dome extrusion, Damage (land, property, etc.), Evacuation. 09/1981 (SEAN 06:09) Lava dome destoyed; pyroclastic flows. No pyroclastic flows were observed during the growth of the lava dome first seen 31 January (although some sliding occurred), but it generated blasts of hot air felt by residents of a flank village. They were evacuated by the end of February, after VSI had issued a volcanic hazard warning. By July, the lava dome was 200 m high, its volume exceeded 8.5 x 106 m3, and its summit had become the highest point on the volcano at 875 m above sea level. Explosive activity resumed on 5 September between 2010 and 2105, producing a 1-km-high plume. This activity was followed by the destruction of the lava dome. Pyroclastic flows and nuées ardentes d'avalanche moved downslope, depositing 5-20 cm of tephra at one village, and starting fires at 36 structures, including a church and five shelters, at another. Because residents had previously been evacuated, there were no casualties. Since the destruction of the dome, the 3-component seismograph monitoring the volcano has recorded shallow earthquakes which VSI believes may be generated by sliding from remnants of the dome. (above from reference #2432) Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1973 Oct 27 - Oct 28	Historical obs./docs.	2
1972 Oct 22 - 1973 Jan 16	Rokatenda Historical obs./docs.	3
1973 Jan (eruption 1973 Oct 27 - Oct 28)	Historical obs./docs.	3		light	Info
1973 Jan: Area of Activity: Rokatenda. Eruptive Characteristics: Central vent eruption, Explosive eruption, Damage (land, property, etc.). (reference #2432) Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1963 Dec 31 - 1966 Mar 16	Rokatenda (1928 crater) Historical obs./docs.	2
1964 Jan 1 (eruption 1963 Dec 31 - 1966 Mar 16)	Historical obs./docs.	2	1		Info
1964 Jan 1: 1964, Jan 1. 1 killed, 3 wounded. (reference #9675) Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1928 Aug 4 - Sep 25	Rokatenda Historical obs./docs.	3
1928 Aug 4 (eruption 1928 Aug 4 - Sep 25)	Tsunami recorded Historical obs./docs.	3	226	moderate	Info
1928 Aug 4: Reference #1412: Tsunami generated by a large landslide at two places on S and E coast of island during explosive eruption during night of Aug 4-5 killed 128 out of total 226 who perished. Latter says tsunami, consisting of 3 waves of 5-10 m in height, killed at least 160 people. 200 injured and 5 villages totally destroyed. Iida (1967), Gutenberg and Richter (1954), and Heck (1947) give date as Aug 7, 1927. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #9675 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Fatalities & Evacuations, Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., p. 329-347. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
?? 1831	Uncertain Eruption	?
1650 ±50 y. AD	Historical obs./docs.	3

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Eruptions of Paluweh volcano

1984-85 uncertain eruptions
Reports suggesting activity in 1984-85 have been discredited.

1980-81 eruption: explosive activity and lava dome growth
New activity began in November 1980 and continued intermittently to the end of January 1981. A new 40 m wide vent formed in early November on the upper NNE flank. On 9 November, an eruption column rose 1 km from the summit crater. Bombs fell nearby and 2 mm of ash were deposited 1 km to the W. On 18 January, a "hot air wave" was felt by the inhabitants of two E-flank villages. About 1,850 persons were evacuated from the danger zone. On 27 January ejecta set bushes afire near a flank village. Detonations from explosions on 31 January were heard at Kota Baru, Flores Island.
Activity decreased from February on.
By July, the lava dome was 200 m high, its volume exceeded 8.5 x 10E6 m3, and its summit had become the highest point on the volcano at 875 m above sea level. Activity increased again in August. Strombolian activity was observed on 22 August. On 24 August ocean water temperatures around the island were measured as high as 98°C. No casualties were reported, but inhabitants evacuated the area. Crops and fishing boats were damaged.
Explosive activity resumed on 5 September producing a 1-km-high plume. This activity was followed by the destruction of the lava dome. Pyroclastic flows damaged 36 buildings in a village, including a church and five shelters, but caused no fatalities, because the people had been evacuated.
After the destruction of the lava dome, activity probably ceased, as there are no more reports available.
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Source: GVP monthly reports

After residents evacuated, pyroclastic flows burnt 36 buildings.

1973 eruption
Paluweh erupted in January 1973, ejecting ash and bombs to 100 m above the crater. Large amounts of vegetation were destroyed.

1963-66 Eruptions
Explosive activity between 1963 and 1966 produced pyroclastic flows, lava flows and a lava dome. Fatalities were caused by pyroclastic flows.

1928 eruption and tsunami
On 4 August 1928, a large explosive eruption caused a landslide, which in turn triggered a tsunami with waves up to 5-10 m height, killing more than 160 people.

Paluweh Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Paluweh volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Paluweh occurred during 2012 - 2013.

+How often does Paluweh volcano erupt?

Since 1650 AD, Paluweh volcano has had at least 9 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 42 years.
Many eruptions of Paluweh have lasted more than one year. In total, the volcano has been in eruption during 14 out of 375 years until now. In other words, Paluweh has been active at least one in 26.8 years on average. Note that this value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruptions from Paluweh is likely incomplete, especially further back in time.

+How active is Paluweh volcano at present?

Paluweh volcano is relatively active: Since 1900, it has had 13 eruptions, and been active during 13 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Paluweh has been in eruption one in 9.7 years on average. The last eruption was from 2012 until 2013 and ended 12 years ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Paluweh volcano?

The largest eruption of Paluweh volcano in historic times occurred during 2012 - 2013. It ranks as a "vulcanian" eruption with a magnitude 3 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Latest satellite images

Paluweh Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).