Kadovar Volcano

Updated: Nov 14, 2025 15:40 GMT - refresh

stratovolcano

Northeast of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea), -3.63°S / 144.63°E

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Summit height: 365 m / 1,197 ft

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

Last update: 5 Nov 2023 (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report)

Kadovar volcano forms the tiny 2 km wide Kadovar Island, one of the Schouten Islands. It is located 25 km north of the mouth of the Sepik River on New Guinea.
The island is the submerged peak of a stratovolcano at the western end of the 1000 km long Bismarck volcanic arc.
Kadovar contains a 1 km wide breached crater, and the village of Gewai is perched on the crater rim. There are no certain eruptions in historic time, but an increase in thermal activity occurred in 1976.

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News/Updates | Earthquakes

Typical eruption style: explosive
Kadovar volcano eruptions: 2018, 1700 (?)

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Distance / Location
May 21, 01:05 am (Port Moresby)	6.5 10 km	24 km (15 mi) to the SE	Bismarck Sea, 44 km northwest of Manam Island, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea 3 reports	Info

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Background

A landslide occurred in the past, removing part of the south slope and leaving an horse-show shaped car on the south side. The corresponding submarine debris avalanche deposits have been identified. A lava 365-m-high lava dome has partly filled the depression and forms the highest point of the andesitic volcano.
The volcano has produced thick lava flows with prismatic lava formations visible at low cliffs on the coast.
The volcano is too young for reefs to have formed around the island.

Significant volcanic eruptions: Kadovar volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Kadovar has had only one confirmed historic eruption during 2018 - 2023. Additionally, there are 2 uncertain or discredited eruptions from Kadovar volcano.

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

Date	Note	VEI	Damage
2018 Jan 5 - 2023 May 14	Summit and SE flank Historical obs./docs.	2
2018 Feb 9 (eruption 2018 Jan 5 - 2023 May 14)	Tsunami recorded	2		Info
2018 Feb 9: The first confirmed historical eruption at Kadovar began around mid-day local time on 5 January, according to witnesses. The island is approximately 1.4 km in diameter with very steep slopes, located about 25 km NNE from the mouth of the Sepik River on the New Guinea mainland. The Rabaul Volcanological Observatory (RVO) warned of potential explosive activity, landslides, and resulting possible tsunamis. RVO reported that on 9 February the lava dome at Kadovar's SE Coastal Vent collapsed, causing 5-6 minor tsunamis, less than 1 m high, observed by residents on Blup Blup's E and W coasts. The waves were reported at 1050, before the main collapse of the dome. In a 12 February report RVO noted that activity from Main Crater consisted of white plumes rising 20 m and drifting a few kilometers SE and weak nighttime crater incandescence. (all 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
2018 Jan 5 (eruption 2018 Jan 5 - 2023 May 14)		2	light	Info
2018 Jan 5: A dormant volcano has erupted in spectacular fashion, spewing lava for the first time in known history and sending an ash cloud 2.1 kilometres above sea level. The volcano, on Kadovar Island northeast of Papua New Guinea, lay dormant until January 5 when it began to erupt at around noon, local media reports. Experts are calling it the "first surprise volcano to erupt in 2018". Thick dust, clouds and smoke have carpeted the island, along with showering neighbouring islands with ash as experts race to discover why the volcano sprang to life. The eruption also stripped much of the land on the island. The volcanic island lay approximately 24 kilometres from the northern coast of mainland Papua New Guinea. (reference #11989) The 365-metre-tall volcano has been spewing out huge amounts of smoke and ash, contaminating water sources and destroying the local community's food gardens. (reference #11990) Cited references #11989 New Zealand Herald (2018): Dormant volcano Kadovar wakes with first eruption in known history. Published 8 January 2017. #11990 New Zealand Herald (2018): PNG volcano: Authorities to resettle 2,000 evacuees on mainland as island volcano erupts. Published 10 January 2018. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
?? 1700 Apr	Uncertain Eruption	?
1616 AD	Discredited Eruption

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 Kadovar volcano

1981 increase in thermal activity
The sea in an area off the NE was discolored with an orange stain during aerial inspections on 6 and 19 March 1981.

1976 increase in fumarolic activity
The volcano showed signs of a possible eruption in 1976: an increase in fumarolic activity and possible gas emission offshore were noted and all residents of Kadovar were evacuated to Blublup Island.
The first signs were noted May 1976 from an area at the S coast where possibly a small hydrothermal eruption or, more likely, a vigorous emission of gas bubbles occurred. The sea water in the area changed color and became a 100 m-long reddish zone of iron hydroxide in August.
Hot ground was first noticed up on the side of the lava dome around 16 September, and there was an increase in HCl and SO2 emissions which had a maximum temperature of 100 deg C.
In November, a second fumarole had developed near the hot ground discovered in September.
After November 1976 and throughout 1977, the activity stabililzed and later began to decline slowly starting in 1978. An observation in 1981 showed that the new hot areas had decreased in size and regrowth of vegetation has began to recover the area.
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Source: Smithsonian / GVP monthly reports

1700 possible eruption
A report of "smoke" at the volcano in 1700 could indicate an eruption.
(Smithsonian SEAN Bulletin 01:14, Jan 1976)

Kadovar Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Kadovar volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Kadovar occurred during 2018 - 2023.

+How often does Kadovar volcano erupt?

Kadovar volcano erupts almost every year. Since its first historically documented eruption 2018, Kadovar has often been near-continuously active. The Global Volcanism Project counts 1 historic eruptions until now, spanning a total of 6 out of 7 years. In other words, Kadovar is active roughly every one in 1.2 years on average. This value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruption might not contain all eruptions, especially further back in time. The last eruption of Kadovar

+How active is Kadovar volcano at present?

Kadovar volcano is occasionally active: Since 1900, it has had 6 eruptions, and been active during 6 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Kadovar has been in eruption one in 21 years on average. The last eruption was from 2018 until 2023 and ended 3 years ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Kadovar volcano?

The largest eruption of Kadovar volcano in historic times occurred during 2018 - 2023. It ranks as a strombolian to vulcanian eruption with a magnitude 2 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Latest satellite images

Kadovar 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).