Volcanic activity world-wide 16 November 2012: Ruapehu, Paluweh, Michael, Kilauea, Fuego, Santiaguito, Nevado del Ruiz, Reventador, Sakurajima, Mammoth Mountain (Long Valley),Ambrym, Nyiragongo

Due to increased seismic activity, GNZ has increased the alert level of Ruapehu volcano in New Zealand.

Ash emissions continue from Paluweh volcano (Rokatenda) volcano off Flores, Indonesia.

The MODIS TERRA and AQUA satellites detected 4 thermal anomalies at Michael volcano in the South Sandwich Islands on 14 November suggesting that some significant activity has started there.

At Kilauea volcano on Hawai'i, the lava flows in the coastal plain have reached within 400m/0.25mi of the shoreline, and are expected to enter the ocean in the next few days. Visit our partners of VolcanoDiscovery Hawaii for lava viewing tours!

The current phase of weak, mainly effusive activity endures at Fuego volcano in Guatemala. The lava flow towards the Ceniza canyon was 250 m long yesterday.

Santiaguito produced a moderate explosion on 15 Nov and a small pyroclastic flow caused by partial collapse of one of the still weakly active lava flows descending the flanks of the dome.

A small eruption might have occurred at Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia prior to 14:47 GMT yesterday 15 Nov. The report came by VAAC Washington, based on seismic data and the detection of a hot spot. INGEOMINAS has not confirmed any new significant activity. The volcano occasionally has been having small ash puffs in the recent weeks.

Reventador volcano in Ecuador: While visual observations are difficult to absent due to near constant cloud cover, the seismic signal tells a clear story that significant activity is going on at the growing lava dome.

Sakurajima volcano has entered once again a phase of more intense and frequent explosions. Since yesterday, there has been one explosion every 4-5 hours on average. Ash clouds rose to altitudes between 1.8-3.4 km (6-11,000 ft) altitude.

Another small earthquake swarm has occurred at Mammoth Mountain west of the Long Valley caldera (California) between 14-17 Nov. This seismic activity falls into the normal behaviour of an active caldera system, and should not be seen as indicator of new eruptions to be expected in the near future. USGS who monitor their volcanoes very carefully maintain alert level green (normal) for Long Valley and Mammoth Mountain.

Significant SO2 plumes, evidence of fresh magma arriving at the surface, continue to originate from Ambrym volcano on Vanuatu and from Nyiragongo volcano in the DR Congo.

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