Banda Api Volcan

Updated: 19 avril. 2025 20:09 GMT - refresh

caldera

Mer de Banda (Indonésie), -4.53°S / 129.87°E

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Summit height: 640 m / 2,100 ft

Condition actuelle: normal / en sommeil (1 sur 5)

Last update: 27 nov. 2024 (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report)

Eruption of Banda Api in 1988 - a large fissure has cut the island in half, producing dense ash emissions and lava flows on both sides that destroyed the village of Batu Angus on the north flank (image: Tom Casadevall / USGS)

Banda Api volcano forms a small isolated 3-km-wide island in the Banda Sea, Indonesia, 130 km south of Makulu Island. The volcano rises 4000 m from the sea floor and is the most recent and very active cone of a 7 km wide volcanic caldera mostly under water.
It is one of the most active volcanoes in the region and is known for violent activity including tall ash emissions, lava fountaining, strombolian explosions and occasional lava flows, some of which which have reached the sea. Because of its (for Indonesia) unusually effusive behavior and frequent activity, Banda Api has also been given the nickname "Etna of the Banda Sea".

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Style éruptif tipique: Explosive
Eruptions du volcan Banda Api: 1988, 1901, 1890, 1855, 1835, 1825 (?), 1824, 1820, 1816, 1778, 1775, 1773,
1765, 1762, 1749, 1722, 1712, 1690, 1683, 1635, 1632, 1615, 1614 (?), 1609, 1598, 1586

Derniers séismes proches

Date et l'heure	Mag / Prof.	Distance / Lieux

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Introduction

Despite its remote location, Banda Api ranks among the volcanoes in Indonesia with the best documented history (since 1586), thanks to its strategic position at a cross-road of the Portuguese and Dutch spice trade sailing routes.
The caldera has 3 other islands forming the southern and eastern walls: Lonthor, Pisang and Kapal.
Banda Api is the NE-most volcano in the Sunda-Banda volcanic arc. Its lavas are mainly basaltic-to-rhyodacitic in composition.
At least two episodes of caldera formation are believed to have occurred, with the arcuate islands of Lonthor and Neira considered to be remnants of the pre-caldera volcanoes.
Among divers, the surrounding waters are (have been?) famous for the specatcularly large numbers of sea snakes that used to be found here mating in swarms of thousands.

Banda Api Volcano Photos

Volcan Merapi vu depuis Babandan le 19 mai. Les avalanches de roches rougeoyantes provenant du dôme de lave sont cachées derrière la pente. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

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Éruptions volcaniques importantes: volcano Banda Api

In the past 10,000 years, Banda Api has had at least 23 confirmed eruptions, all documented by historical records or observations. Additionally, there are 4 uncertain or discredited eruptions from Banda Api volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Banda Api volcano since around 1000 AD. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Banda Api can be found on the news page of Banda Api volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Morts	Dommages
1988 Mai 9 - Mai 17	Summit, north and south flanks Obs./docs historiques	3?		inconnu
1988 Mai 9 (éruption 1988 Mai 9 - Mai 17)	Obs./docs historiques	3	4	inconnu	Infos
1988 Mai 9: A lava flow overran the mosque in Batu Angus village, killing an elderly man who had sought refuge rather than flee with the evacuees. Two young men drowned when their canoe was hit by a block. SEAN gives 3 killed. 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. #1669 Smithsonian Institution (1975-1989): Smithsonian Institution-SEAN, 1975-89. [Monthly event reports]. Bull Scientific Event Alert Network (SEAN), v 1-14 Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
?? 1902 Mar 20	Éruption incertaine	?		inconnu
1901 Mai 18	Summit and north flank Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1890 Nov 23	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
?? 1855 Déc 29 - Déc 30	Éruption incertaine	?		inconnu
1835 Nov 1 (éruption 1835 Oct)	Obs./docs historiques	0	100-1,000 (*)	modéré	Infos
1835 Nov 1: 1835, November 1. In the Moluccas islands. A violent and destructive earthquake. In Amboyna the single shock on this day lasted 35 secs. It was the most violent, but other shocks were felt on the 4th. Preceded for three weeks by a heavy sulphurous fog. A volcanic eruption at the same time at Gunong Api in the island of Banda. Buildings were ruined and many persons lost their lives. (reference #497) Th Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series (http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/) lists an uncertain eruption in Oct 1835 at Banda Api, which is probably what Mallet (ref #497) is referring to. Cited references #497 Mallet, Robert (1855): Catalogue of Recorded Earthquakes from 1606 B.C. to A.D. 1850, Part III, 1784 A.D. to 1842 A.D. Report of the 24th Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, John Murray, London, 326 p. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
?? 1835 Oct	Éruption incertaine	?		inconnu
1825 ? - 1831	Obs./docs historiques	1		inconnu
1824 Avr 22 - Jun 28	North side Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1820 Jun 11 - Août 8	Summit, south and NNW flanks Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1820 Jun 11 (éruption 1820 Jun 11 - Août 8)	Obs./docs historiques	2	1-50 (*)	inconnu	Infos
1820 Jun 11: Kusumadinata-79: unknown number killed. 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. #1651 Kusumadinata K (1979): Data Dasar Gunungapi Indonesia. Bandung: Volc Surv Indonesia, 820 p (in Indonesian) Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1816 Oct 11 - Déc	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1778	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1775	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1773 Fév 6	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1765 Avr 19 - 1766 Oct	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1762	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1749	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1722	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1712 Mai - Déc	Obs./docs historiques	2		inconnu
1690 AD - 1696 Mai 22	Obs./docs historiques	3		inconnu
1694 AD Nov 20 (éruption 1690 AD - 1696 Mai 22)	Obs./docs historiques	3	50-100 (*)	inconnu	Infos
1694 AD Nov 20: The whole population at the foot of the volcano was destroyed. Neumann van Pandang reports an enormous outburst on this day sestroyed vegetation on the island. Some sources do not list fatalities. 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. #1661 Van Padang, M. Neumann (1951): Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes of the World including Solfatara Fields, Part I, Indonesia. International Volcanological Association, Napoli, Italy, 271 p. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1683 AD	Obs./docs historiques	3		inconnu
1635 AD Nov 18	Obs./docs historiques	1?		inconnu
1632 AD Déc 16	Obs./docs historiques	3		inconnu
1615 AD Mar 16 - Avr	Obs./docs historiques	3		inconnu
1615 AD Mar (éruption 1615 AD Mar 16 - Avr)	Obs./docs historiques	3		modéré	Infos
1615 AD Mar: Sapper notes all settlements destroyed. 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. #1667 Sapper, K. (1917): Katalog der Geschichtlichen Vulkanausbruche. Strasbourg: Karl J Trubner, 358 p Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
?? 1614 AD	Éruption incertaine	?		inconnu
1609 AD	Obs./docs historiques	3		inconnu
1598 AD - 1602	Obs./docs historiques	3		inconnu
1598 AD (éruption 1598 AD - 1602)	Obs./docs historiques	3	1-50 (*)	inconnu	Infos
1598 AD: Unknown number of deaths. 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. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1586 AD Avr 17	Obs./docs historiques	3		inconnu

(*) Chiffres estimés

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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 du volcan Banda Api

1988 eruption
Banda Api erupted explosively on 9 May 1988. An ash plume of 3 km height was produced and large incandescent bombs were ejected. Lava flows traveled east towards Neira Island. A row of 5 vents were active at the summit. During 8-10 May, frequent earthquakes were felt in Neira village 2 km east of the summit.
1800 residents were evacuated to Neira and Lontar Islands, and 5,000 of Neira city's residents were evacuated to safer areas.
Satellite observations showed that the ash from the eruption reached an altitude of 16 km. The eruption ended in August 1988.
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Source: GVP monthly reports

Banda Api Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Banda Api volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Banda Api occurred in 1988.

+How often does Banda Api volcano erupt?

Since 1586 AD, Banda Api volcano has had at least 23 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 19.1 years.
Many eruptions of Banda Api have lasted more than one year. In total, the volcano has been in eruption during 40 out of 439 years until now. In other words, Banda Api has been active at least one in 11 years on average. Note that this value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruptions from Banda Api is likely incomplete, especially further back in time.

+How active is Banda Api volcano at present?

Banda Api volcano is occasionally active: Since 1900, it has had 2 eruptions, and been active during 2 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Banda Api has been in eruption one in 63 years on average. The last eruption was in 1988 and ended 37 years ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Banda Api volcano?

The largest eruption of Banda Api volcano in historic times occurred in 1988. It ranks as a "vulcanian" eruption with a magnitude 3 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

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Banda Api Volcan Cartes

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).