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Long Island Volcano

Updated: Jul 8, 2025 23:16 GMT -
complex volcano
Northeast of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea), -5.36°S / 147.12°E
Summit height: 1280 m / 4,199 ft
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)

Long Island, located 136 km east of Madang in the Vitiaz Strait, consists of 2 adjacent partly collapsed steep-sided stratovolcanoes: Mount Reaumur in the north and Cerisy Peak in the south.
The central part of the complex contains a large 10x12.5 km caldera filled by a lake, Lake Wilson. The youngest eruptions have built a new cone inside the south-central part of the caldera lake, Motmot Island, which formed in 1953-54 and 1968. The historic eruptions in the 20th century occurred from vents at or near Motmot Island.
Long Island volcano's eruptions are often strombolian and sometimes submarine.

[smaller] [larger]
Typical eruption style: explosive
Long Island volcano eruptions: 1993, 1976, 1973-74, 1968, 1961(?), 1955, 1953-54, 1943, 1938, 1933, 1660

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and TimeMag / DepthDistance / Location

Background

Collapse of the basaltic-andesitic volcanic complex produced a large 10 x 12.5 km caldera, now filled by Lake Wisdom. Caldera formation occurred during at least 3 major explosive eruptions, about 16,000, 4000, and 300 years ago. The latter was one of the largest historical eruptions in Papua New Guinea and deposited andesitic tephra across the New Guinea highlands, prompting legends of a "Time of Darkness."
(Smithsonian / GVP volcano information)

Long Island Volcano Photos

Significant volcanic eruptions: Long Island volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Long Island has had at least 11 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 9 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
There is one uncertain or discredited eruption in 1961 from Long Island volcano.
The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Long Island volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Long Island can be found on the news page of Long Island volcano.
DateNoteVEIDeathsDamage
1993 Nov 3 ? - Nov 25 ±5 d.E-W fissure NNE of Motmot Island
Historical obs./docs.
1
1976 Jan 2 ±120 d.Motmot
Historical obs./docs.
1
1973 Apr 16 ±15 d. - 1974 Feb 28Motmot
Historical obs./docs.
2
1968 Mar 16 - Jun 12Motmot
Historical obs./docs.
2
?? 1961 Jul 2 ±182 d.
Uncertain Eruption
?
1955 Jun 5 - Jun 13Motmot
Historical obs./docs.
3
1953 May 8 - 1954 Jan 7Motmot
Historical obs./docs.
3
1943Motmot
Historical obs./docs.
?
1938Lake Wisdom
Historical obs./docs.
?
1933Lake Wisdom
Historical obs./docs.
?
1660 AD
(eruption 1660 ±20 y. AD)
Tsunami recorded
Historical obs./docs.
62,000
heavy
Info
1660 ±20 y. AD6
-2040 BC
(eruption 2040 ±110 y. BC)
Historical obs./docs.
6
Info
2040 ±110 y. BC6
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 Long Island volcano



2010 earthquake
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit 16 km SE of Long Island on 7 February 2010.

2007 earthquake
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake hit 54 km south of the volcano in November 2007.

1993 eruptions
New activity started at Long Island in early November 1993. At the surface, a change in the color of the crater lake from blue-green to orange-brown was observed. The eruption were likely underwater explosions in an area north of Motmot Island, near the center of Lake Wisdom. ...more info

1973 eruptions
Small ash eruptions occurred in April and May 1973 from a small island in the caldera lake.

1968 eruption
Eruptions occurred at Long Island in March 1968 from vents the shore of the 1953-55 island (later Motmot Island), which by then had been eroded to a few rocks above the water. An ash cone formed in a few days and by November 1969 it had a crater with its own small pond. The island is now known as Motmot Island. ...more info

1953-54 eruption - formation of Motmot Island
A new island, Motmot Island, appeared during submarine eruptions between May 1953 and January 1954. Surtseyan explosions (water-magma interaction) were observed 4 km from the south shore of Lake Wisdom in May 1953.
Motmot Island consisted of 2 craters joined by a ridge.

1660 Plinian eruption
A large caldera-forming Plinian eruption took place at Long Island volcano in 1660. The volume of erupted magma was estimated to be as much as 30 cubic km of material, making ranking VEI=6 and as the 3rd largest known explosive eruption on earth during the past 2000 years. It was about 3 times larger than the 1883 eruption of Krakatau, and 10 times larger than the eruption of Mt St Helens in 1980.
Large amounts of ash were deposited on New Guinea and covered 87,000 km2 of the highlands with a layer of 1.5 cm. Long Island itself was buried beneath 30 m of ash fall and ash flow deposits.
Local legends in New Guinea talk of the "Time of Darkness", due to the giant eruption plume covering the sky, plunging the region under the ash plume into a darkness.

Long Island Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Long Island volcano?

+How often does Long Island volcano erupt?

+How active is Long Island volcano at present?

+When was the largest eruption of Long Island volcano?

Latest satellite images

LongIsland satellite image sat1LongIsland satellite image sat2

Long Island 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).
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (world scale)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (world scale)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (world scale)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (world scale)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale large)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale large)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale small)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale small)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (region scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale large)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale large)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale small)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale small)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (local scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Terrain-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 5-10 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of 5-10 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of few kilometers)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Long Island volcano (scale of few kilometers)
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