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I have lived here for one and a half years and this is the most activity at one condensed time i have had the pleasure to see. Again this is Fuego volcano in Antigua Guartemala and it is exciting here tonight.
INGV in its latest report suggests that the shallow magma reservoir 1-2 km under the volcano feeding the recent eruptions has temporarily been exhausted. This would mean that the paroxysms should become less frequent and weaker if not stop at all for the time being.
The really BIG question is when the next flank eruption will be...
Tungurahua, Equador´s most active volcano and one of its most dangerous ones, has started a new eruption. Hundreds of people living in nearby villages have been evacuated. ...more
The eruption is explosive and huge clouds of ash and hot gas rising up to an altitude of aprox. 4 km. It has also produced pyrocalstic flows (avalanches of hot gas, ash and blocks of hot lava) that were travelling about 500 m to northwestern flanks of the volcano. [less]
As of now (morning of 27 Nov, our departure), the webcam clearly shows that steaming lava blocks continue to reach the surface. The eruption might be entering a new phase. [less]
The Colombian volcano monitoring institute INGEOMINAS has raised the alarm level for Galeras volcano, after a number of so-called tornillos, a characteristic seismic signal often preceding eruptions at Galeras, were detected in recent days. Tornillos consist of a screw-driver shaped signal of rapdily increasing and then slowly decreasing harmonic tremor and preceded most eruptions of Galeras between 1992 and 2010. [read all]
Wide-angle view over the Las Calmas Sea showing both the active spot 1 km off the coast and another smaller one located 3 km off the coast (right in the picture)
The area of upwelling water above the new submarine vent(s) ca. 1 km off the south coast near La Restinga has increased. Muddy water and sometimes foam are visible at the spot, forming larger and smaller circular areas surrounded by greenish water drifting west. The activity occurs in irregular intervals of typically 20-40 minutes. ...more
Another possible submarine vent is visible much further out to the SW, forming a separate greenish spot. There are no rock fragments, no pumice and no steam visible. [less]
The Guatemalan geophysical survey SERNAGEOMIN reports increasing explosive activity from Fuego volcano, one of the country's most active volcanoes. Fuego was observed producing ash clouds reaching 1500-2000 m above the summit crater (at ca. 3600 m altitude) which drifted SW and reached up to 20 km distance where they produced some ash fall, reported in the communities of Panimaché, Morelia, Sangre de Cristo, and Santa Sofía. ...more
The explosions were accompanied by moderate to strong booming noises and shock waves that could be felt in up to 15 km distance. Near-constant rock avalanches are observed on the upper slopes beneath the summit crater, some of which reach the vegetated areas. [less]
The helicopter of Guardia Civil above the new submarine vent ca. 1 km offshore
Both areas of water discoloration are shown in this picture
Today, a new spot of upwelling water appeared at ca. 1 km distance off the south coast near La Restinga, near the location of the first submarine vent. Water discoloration, foam on the surface and flattened sea water were clearly visible in this area (see attached photos). We interpret that a new submarine vent is active there. ...more
At the same time, the broadly circular area of upwelling water and greenish discoloration which we first observed on Saturday was also active, although less apparent than the other spot described above, and investigated by the helicopter of the Guardia Civil. [less]
Tremor has decreased slightly, but earthquakes continue. No visible activity was present near La Restinga yesterday, but signs increase that something could be going on in the northern sector at depth, where part of the tremor has now been localized. Also, slight inflation is measured for the El Golfo valley. ...more
The IGN summarizes yesterday's activity as follows (translated to English): [less]
The new area of upwelling water, located ca. 300 m offshore (19 Nov)
During our observations from near the south coast at La Restinga yesterday, we could not observe any activity at the surface of the water. This corresponded well with a sharp decrease in tremor measured by the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN). ...more
Today, we could see areas of the ocean surface flattened by likely upwelling water rising from below, at a much closer distance to the shore than the previously active vent area, at only about 300 m distance from shore and slightly to the east as compared to the former area. Volcanic tremor has increased significantly again. We suspect that a new vent might be forming or has formed in this area. Whether this leads to another "jacuzzi" or boiling water area is only speculation at this point. The situation remains interesting. [less]
At times, upwelling water causes the surface of the water to cover with foam.
The volcanic tremor measured at El Hierro remains at very high levels and in sharp contrast to visible activity, feeding speculations and fear about new volcanic vents opening up somewhere on or near the island. Some fear such a new vent could be located in the El Golfo Bay, near Frontera, since most of the (deep) earthquakes in recent days are concentrated beneath the northern sector of the island. However, so far, these earthquakes are very deep (ca. 20 km) and do not point towards an immediate eruption in this area, rather are intrusions of dykes in the upper mantle beneath the island. ...more
At La Restinga at the southern tip of the island, we could observe a slight increase in activity from the submarine vent ca. 1 km off the coast today: every 15-30 minutes, brownish plumes of water could be seen upwelling, flattening the ocean surface and somtimes producing dark stretches of floating mud(?) and foam (not steam!) in a circular area around the vents. The Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias (INVOLCAN) has been recording highly elevated levels of Helium and CO2 gas dissolved in the water around La Restinga, another sign that the submarine eruption is still in progress. [less]
The eruption at Nyamuragira, stated to be the "largest one in 100 years" in the media (arguably, perhaps it is rather one of the most accessible and beautiful ones), continues into the second week. The Virunga National Park in Goma offers guided overnight treks to see the eruption of the volcano from close. ...more
It seems that lava fountains are still active and reach 200-300 m height and have already built up a sizable, probably ca. 100 m high flank cone. [less]
Field observations at La Restinga at the southern tip of El Hierro have shown none or very little activity above the submarine vents during the past 2 days. Only a small brownish spot is present and the discolored sea water area seems to be getting significantly smaller. Likely, volcanic activity at the vent has stopped again. La Restinga town is very slowly recovering from its forced closure. ...more
At the same time, there are indications that magma is still moving somewhere and that there is a slim chance of new activity. Volcanic tremor measured by IGN remains high and frequent deep earthquakes continue to occur. Most of the quakes, typically 10-20 a day and at depths around 20 km are beneath the El Golfo area. Some of them reach magnitudes around 3 and can be felt. [less]
The ongoing eruption at Etna, seen from Radiostudio 7 webcam (http://www.radiostudio7.it) located at Belvedere
A little bit later, the lava flow already has reached the slope into Valle del Bove and lava fountains are seen from the summit vent as well.
A new eruptive episode is in progress at the New SE crater of Etna today. Starting this morning, tremor has been rising steeply and at the time of writing, the first strombolian explosions, or even small lava fountains, and perhaps already a small lava flow can be seen emerging from the SE-trending fissure cutting through the cone. All signs point towards that this is going to be the long-awaited 18th paroxysm of the New SE crater in 2011, following the previous one on 23 Oct after 23 days, the longest-so-far interval since July. [read all]
Hot scoria floats to the surface above the vent (14 Nov afternoon)
Zoom onto the floating hot lava blocks at the surface above the vent
Activity from the submarine volcano has restarted in the Las Calmas Sea south of La Restinga, El Hierro, from more or less the same submarine vent as last week. Today, steaming hot black lava blocks could be observed reaching the surface of the sea above the vent. A broad area of muddy discolored water drifts away from the site, and foam (or pumice) rings are formed around on the water. The stain of the sea has increased again and a number of dead or dying fish are seen in the harbor of La Restinga (open during daytime). [read all]
La Frontera in the El Golfo, almost cut off by the rest of the island due to the tunnel closure, seen at night. People here face frequent earthquakes these days.
Since Wednesday, the submarine activity south of La Restinga is not producing much signs at the surface and seems to have stopped or continuing at much lower levels. A part of the VolcanoDiscovery team is now on location and we can observe the activity directly. Only occasionally, a weak brownish mud seems to reach the surface, sometimes accompanied by foam and / or pumice. It seems likely that the first vent has or is dying. ...more
In the meanwhile, the recorded seismic activity remains strong, including both continuing harmonic tremor, suggesting magma movements, and deep (around 20 km) earthquakes, 10-20 per day usually, NW of El Hierro in the El Golfo area. There are speculations about a possible new vent in this area, but if it is present, it does not (yet) manifest itself at the water surface. When new significant news become available, we will report them here. [less]
There is a pause of the eruption at El Hierro. The activity from the submarine vents ca. 1 km south of El Hierro has decreased significantly, or even stopped completely today, scientists in La Restinga and the Guardia Civil reported. ...more
Nevertheless, volcanic tremor remains high and there have been 10 small earthquakes NW of Frontera in the second half of the past night. Due to the risk of toxic gasses (CO2 in particular), the Guardia Civil has forbidden access to the beaches of Puerto Naos and Tacorón. The decision was triggered after that a technician of IGN was mildly intoxicated while taking samples in the area on Tuesday. [less]
Explosions above the still submarine vents south of El Hierro are getting stronger and follow one another every 10 to 15 minutes, generating large clouds and sometimes jets of gas, steam and ash mixed with blocks rising to 30-35 meters. At night, red glow is visible above the jacuzzi. ...more
At 17:51 GMT, a 3.4 earthquake under the El Golfo area was felt on the island. It is still not clear whether a second eruptive vent is active in that area. Due to the much greater depth, it would be more difficult to spot on the surface. In the meantime, scientist from IGN and PEVOLCA (Civil Protection for Volcanic Risk) continue to measure increasing levels of carbon dioxide, another sign that magma is rising and getting closer to the sea surface. The possible presence of drifting layers of the deadly CO2 is a now serious risk for anyone at low altitude near the site of the eruption. [less]
One of the explosions ejecting ash above the surface (image: Radio Televisión Canaria, http://www.rtvc.es/)
The area of the submarine vent on 7 Nov (image: INVOLCAN)
Signs are increasing that the submarine eruption south of El Hierro could be breaking the ocean surface very soon. At the moment, there are 2 areas with violent bubbling fountains (locally called "jacuzzi") up to 20 m high where the water temperature has increased by at least 10 deg C. Occasionally, the first small explosions are seen ejecting rocks, pumice and ash. ...more
When the next (so-called Surtseyan) phase of violent, sustained steam and ash explosions starts is yet unknown, but it seems very likely now and could even happen very soon. This type of phreatomagmatic activity is caused by the interaction of lava close to the sea surface and is the second phase of building a new island. [less]
The new eruption of Nyamuragira volcano on day 2 is putting on a spectacular show, producing tall lava fountains (a few 100 m high) that can be seen shooting out of the main vent and feeding a lava flow. A small elongated cone, perhaps already as much as 50-100 m high, has already formed around the vent. ...more
A video posted by the National Park can be seen at: YouTube. [less]
The new fissure eruption of Nyamuragira on the evening of 6 Nov (photo: Virunga National Park)
Nyamuragira volcano in the DRCongo started to erupt last night as park rangers of the Virunga National Park report on facebook. Nyamuragira is a large shield volcano north of Nyiragongo volcano near Goma town and belongs to the Virunga National Park. ...more
Its eruptions produce curtains of fire and large lava flows, which normally are no harm to inhabited areas as the volcano is very remote. In recent years, it has been almost impossible to access due to the presence of armed guerrilla troops hiding in this area. [less]
Close-up of one of the fountains (jacuzzi) south of La Restinga (image: INVOLCAN)
Discolored water around the vent of the eruption (image: INVOLCAN)
The submarine eruption south of El Hierro Island is getting closer to the surface and approaching the so-called Surtseyan stage (named after the 1963 eruption and birth of Surtsey Island south of Iceland). ...more
First small steam explosions and water fountains have been observed. These geysir-like fountains reach 10-20 m height. It is likely that there will be more explosive activity, so-called phreatomagmatic explosions (caused by water mixing with lava), in the near future, and possibly the emergence of a new island. The activity is accompanied by strong tremor and single steam explosions can also be seen on the recordings. It cannot be predicted whether and when the eruption reaches an island-building stage, but chances are clearly becoming bigger each day, that new land appears out of the sea one of these days. [less]
Increasing tremor signal (3 Nov 2011) at El Hierro
Seismic activity beneath the El Golfo region has further increased and there is now a strong tremor signal. This suggests that a second submarine vent might in fact have started to erupt. [read all]
The seismic activity off the NW coast of El Hierro under the El Golfo area is intensifying and near the same levels immediately before the ongoing submarine eruption south of the island. ...more
Yesterday alone 153 quakes were measured with magnitudes of up to 3.9. Most quakes are still at safe 20 km depth and not related to the opening of eruptive vents on the sea floor. At the same time volcanic tremor (a low-frequency seismic wave component typical of magma movements) has been slightly increasing and the is now little doubt that magma is moving beneath the island. At this stage, it seems not unlikely if a new intrusion makes its way to the seafloor, starting a new submarine eruption form a second vent in the near future. [less]
