Volcanoes Erupting All Over

[XPan]

Ruang, Indonesia
3 May 2024

Ruang: Weitere Evakuierungen veranlasst - Vulkane Net Newsblog

Am Vulkan Ruang drohen weitere paroxysmale Vulkanausbrüche und die Evakuierungsmaßnahmen wurden deutlich ausgedehnt.

www.vulkane.net

Further volcanic eruptions threaten at Ruang volcano - evacuation measures extended

The island volcano Ruang erupted twice in the second half of April, producing towering ash clouds and pyroclastic flows. The two settlements on Ruang were severely affected. The damage was particularly extensive in the village of Laingpatehi, which was hit by the hot gases of a pyroclastic flow, causing fires. In addition, ash deposits and the bombardment with pyroclastics caused roofs to collapse.

The settlements were evacuated shortly before the eruptions and apparently no one has been injured so far. As a result of the second eruption on 30 April, the exclusion zone around the crater was increased to 7 kilometres, which is why residents of the south-west coast of the neighbouring island of Tagulandang now also live in the danger zone and have to be evacuated. They are particularly threatened by pyroclastic flows, which can also travel long distances across the sea. There are also fears of tsunamis that could occur as a result of landslides.

9,083 people live in the Tagulandang exclusion zone.
By Thursday, 3,364 residents had already been evacuated. The authorities are working to gradually evacuate the remaining 5,719 residents. "At least 9,000 residents within a seven-kilometre radius must be evacuated as soon as possible," said Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), in a written statement yesterday. The evacuation is being carried out with the help of several ships.

The government has prepared emergency shelters for affected residents at various locations, such as the Tumou Tou Manado Centre. In fact, people will also be evacuated to the island of Siau, where the Karangetang volcano is located.

Hendra Gunawan, head of PVMBG, explained that in the past, Ruang was prone to emitting pyroclastic flows. According to records, there have been 18 eruption phases of the Ruang volcano since the 19th century, with a clustering of activity in certain periods. Hendra explained that the eruption in 1871 also triggered a tsunami wave and claimed up to 400 lives.

Therefore, the government plans to take permanent measures to relocate residential areas to safer locations, especially Ruang Island. Suharyanto also said that the BNPB would help with the relocation process. This matter is expected to be discussed at ministerial level soon. The forced relocations primarily affect 301 families from two villages at the foot of Mount Ruang.

The two eruptions can be regarded as paroxysms
and we know from other volcanoes that these eruptions often occur in phases, so that further eruptions can be expected in the coming weeks and months. The interval between the two eruptions was 13 days.

Ash is currently being emitted from the crater. Volcanic ash is rising to a height of 1500 metres. Yesterday, 11 volcanotectonic tremors were recorded. Typical for the previous eruptions was the onset of a seismic crisis a few hours before the eruptions.

The alert status is set to "red".

END OF ARTICLE

 

[XPan]

Campi Flegrei, Napoli, Italy
1 May 2024

Pretty worrisome given how many earthquakes have been for a long time / is going on in that region...

Campi Flegrei: Erdbebenaktivität bleibt am 1 Mai hoch - Vulkane Net Newsblog

Hohe Erdbebenaktivität und Bodenhebung halten in der Campi Flegrei an. Vulkan steht unter besondere Beobachtung.

www.vulkane.net

High earthquake activity continues - volcano under special observation

Earthquake activity under the southern Italian caldera has remained high in recent days. However, most of the earthquakes had low magnitudes and mainly occurred within the hydrothermal system, although there were also some earthquakes at depths of around 3 kilometres.

The new weekly bulletin of the INGV was published yesterday. In the observation period 22-28 April, 193 tremors were detected. The strongest had a magnitude of 3.9, making it one of the most energetic earthquakes of the multi-year uplift phase. Which brings us to the topic: The average uplift rate is still given as 10 mm per month, but there have been two short-term ground uplift episodes in the last three weeks, in which the ground lifted by 10 mm once and by 5 mm another time within two days. Within 21 days, the total uplift was 25 mm, which is a peak value for the current uplift phase. The thrusts were accompanied by the strongest swarm earthquakes during this period.

Although most volcanologists do not yet see an imminent eruption in Campi Flegrei, they are now somewhat concerned: the former director of the Vesuvius Observatory, Francesca Bianco, said in a Fanpage interview that the events in Campi Flegrei are now receiving even more attention than they already do. Although she considers the earthquakes to be unpleasant, they are not yet strong earthquakes, although she believes it is unlikely that strong earthquakes with magnitudes of 6 or more will occur. Francesca was also asked about the phenomenon of why the inhabitants of the caldera perceive an increased odour of sulphur on some days. The volcanologist said that this was due to different meteorological conditions. There would be no major fluctuations in the gas composition.

Another citizens' meeting is planned for 6 May, this time in the Neapolitan district of Bacoli. In addition to Francesca Bianco, the head of the Civil Protection Department, Fabrizio Curcio, the director of the Vesuvius Observatory, Mauro Di Vito, the prefect, scientists and other institutional representatives will answer questions from citizens. Perhaps there will also be new insights into the events at Campi Flegrei.

END OF ARTICLE

 

[XPan]

Sangay, Equador
5 May 2024

Quite the worker bee, this Sangay volcano...

Sangay erzeugt alle 90 Sekunden eine Explosion - Vulkane Net Newsblog

Sangay steigerte seine Aktivität und erzeugt alle 90 Sekunden eine explosive Eruption Gestern war ein besonders geschäftiger Tag für den Sangay in Ecuador: Wie das Geophysikalische Institut des Landes mitteilte, erzeugte der Andenvulkan 918 explosive Eruptionen innerhalb von 24 Stunden. Das...

www.vulkane.net

Sangay increased its activity and produces an explosive eruption every 90 seconds

Yesterday was a particularly busy day for Sangay in Ecuador: according to the country's Geophysical Institute, the Andean volcano produced 918 explosive eruptions within 24 hours. This corresponds to an explosion frequency of 90 seconds. Volcanic ash rose up to 3000 metres above crater height and drifted in a westerly direction. The VAAC detected volcanic ash at an altitude of 8000 metres above sea level. The ash rained down over localities and light ash fallout occurred.

On the southwest flank of Sangay, a lava flow is flowing and red-hot material is moving at an altitude level 1900 metres below the crater. A debris avalanche flows from the lava front and pyroclastic flows can occur at any time, which is why it is forbidden to climb the volcano.

Lahars, which can form in the area of the volcano as a result of heavy rainfall, pose a danger. The mudflows have already changed several river courses, with the deposits clogging the riverbeds.

The data on the volcano's sulphur dioxide emissions are somewhat contradictory: while a bulletin from the institute mentions 100 tonnes per day, a media report states that 10 times this amount of volcanic gas has been detected. I also consider this figure to be more realistic.

Sangay is a 5270 metre high stratovolcano
on the eastern edge of the Andes. It drains towards the Amazon. The glacier-covered summit has two craters. A lava dome could grow again in the southern crater, which feeds the lava flow and is the source of the explosions.

Although the volcano is considered one of the most active fire mountains in the country, it is not the only active volcano in the country: On the Ecuadorian mainland, there is also the Reventador, which is explosively active and produces frequent ash eruptions. Volcanic ash rises up to 1400 metres above crater height.

On the Galapagos island of Fernandina
which belongs to Ecuador, La Cumbre is still active and produces a lava flow that flows into the sea.

END OF ARTICLE

 

[XPan]

La Cumbre, Galapagos islands, Ecuador
6 May 2024

The eruption there is still ongoing (for 2 months now).

La Cumbre: Ocean Entry auf Fernandina - Vulkane Net Newsblog

Auf Fernandina entsteht durch den Vulkanausbruch von La Cumbre neues Land. Die Eruption hält seit mehr als 2 Monaten an.

www.vulkane.net

The eruption of La Cumbre on the Galapagos island of Fernandina continues - new land is being created

New land is being created on Fernandina
due to the volcanic eruption of La Cumbre. The eruption has been going on for more than 2 months and lava has been reaching the ocean for almost 4 weeks. The ocean entry is causing a lava delta to grow, which has now expanded to 8 hectares. The first usable photos of what is happening have now been published. They are reminiscent of images that we are otherwise only familiar with from Kilauea in Hawaii or Piton de la Fournaise on La Réunion. At numerous points in the lava delta, thin lava flows and pours steaming into the sea. When the Ocean Entry was formed, it was still crumbly aa lava that reached the coast. In the meantime, the lava tubes seem to reach directly to the coast, so that the melt is well insulated and is still very hot and therefore thin when it reaches the sea.

The eruption on Fernandina began on 3 March
with a large fissure eruption that produced lava fountains. The fissures had formed over a length of several kilometres close to the edge of the caldera. Since then, the nature of the eruption has changed considerably and only one vent is still active. So little heat seems to emanate from it that even current sentinel photos in the infrared range no longer show any thermal anomalies. A small hotspot could be hidden under the steam still rising from the vent. Only on the last third of the volcanic slope does some lava emerge in some places, leaving behind a thermal signature. This has an output of 358 MW. This value is still classified as high, but is very far from the maximum 54,000 MW recorded during the initial stage of the eruption.

Animals affected...
Although landowners can be happy about the creation of new land, it is probably a different story for the animals living there: The eruption created a lava field covering 1600 hectares of land that will be barren for decades and is likely to be unsuitable as a habitat for most animals. Biologists on the Galapagos Islands do not want to take stock of how much the eruption has damaged the ecosystem until after the eruption is over. The land iguanas on Fernandina in particular could have been affected.

The Galapagos Islands were formed
by the successive eruption of volcanoes that emerged from the seabed around 12 million years ago, some of which lie under water. Scientific studies have shown that the oldest islands on the surface are San Cristóbal and Española, which were formed 2.8 and 5.6 million years ago. The youngest islands, Isabela and Fernandina, are thought to be between 60,000 and 300,000 years old. The genesis of these islands is not yet complete.

END OF ARTICLE

 

[mabar]

Campi Flegrei, Napoli, Italy
1 May 2024

Pretty worrisome given how many earthquakes have been for a long time / is going on in that region...


View attachment 95267

High earthquake activity continues - volcano under special observation

Earthquake activity under the southern Italian caldera has remained high in recent days.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1790054141810692567

Ossevatorio Venusiano

YELLOW ALERT LEVEL

The Vesuvius Observatory's surveillance system highlights some changes in the state of activity in the Campi Flegrei.

However, from the May 7 weekly bolletin:
Weekly Bolletin Campi Flegrei

2. EXPECTED SCENARIOS.
Based on the current picture of volcanic activity outlined above, there is no evidence such as to suggest significant evolutions in the short term.
N.B. Any changes in the monitored parameters, which may lead to a different
evolution of the phenomena described above, will be the subject of in-depth
promptly communicated.

Since last year, they have already drawn up a plan to evacuate, I assume they are waiting for more data.
Evacuation plan being drafted for Campi Flegrei

Fears of eruption in volcanic area near Naples after quake

Minister Nello Musumeci said Friday that an evacuation plan was being drafted for the Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields), a volcanic area near Naples, after 4.2-magnitude earthquake this week sparked fears of an eruption.
It was the biggest quake to hit the area in 40 years.
"We have to get down to work at once," said Musumeci, stressing that around half a million people live in the area.
The Phlegraean Fields is a collapsed caldera, a volcanic area formed by several volcanic edifices.

 

[XPan]

Stromboli, Aeolian Islands - Italy
14 May 2024

I already read earlier that the generell activity on the island of Stromboli has increased. In the mean while it seem to have reached a strong peak. German Vulkane.net writes following about the latest status of the volcano:

Stromboli mit zahlreichen Eruptionen am 14. Mai - Vulkane Net Newsblog

Der Vulkan Stromboli ist weiter munter und eruptierte bis zu 800 Mal am Tag. Aktivitätsindex steht auf hoch.

www.vulkane.net

Stromboli with 800 explosions a day - activity index remains high



Stromboli is located north of Sicily and is the most active volcano in Europe
at least in terms of the number of eruptions: It has been considered permanently active for thousands of years and was known in ancient times as the "beacon of the Mediterranean", as its frequent eruptions were visible for miles at night and provided sailors with a good landmark. The island volcano has been particularly active for a few days now, producing up to 800 explosions a day. This means that the explosions occur at intervals of less than 2 minutes. Of course, many of these eruptions will be comparatively small, but there are also larger eruptions mixed in, which throw their glowing cargo up to 80 meters high.

The LGS reported yesterday that the acoustic blast pressure was relatively weak, mostly around 0.5 bar. On the previous day, however, there were explosions that generated an acoustic pressure of up to 1 bar. Such eruptions reach ejection heights of up to 100 meters. However, the number of explosions is not the only feature that indicates increased activity of the volcano, as an above-average number of VLP earthquakes were also recorded and the tremor amplitude was also increased.




The activity began to increase
when several weak earthquakes manifested themselves in the coastal area of Stromboli over the past few days. These quakes are most likely caused by changes in underground stresses when new magma enters a deep magma reservoir. However, there was no unusual ground uplift. Hence my assumption that the melt is at a greater depth. However, there is then an increase in pressure in the conveyor system and there are increased explosions of melt that has already risen.

A few years ago, I was able to look into a Stromboli vent located in the northern sector of the crater. The vent was not recognizable as such because it was filled with cooled tephra up to the bottom of the crater. Seconds before the explosion, the crater floor and the tephra in the vent began to rise and a bubble of lava chunks formed, which then burst, catapulting the lava chunks out of the vent. Below the surface was red-hot tephra, which rose up with it. However, there are also pipe-like vents on Stromboli, from which the tephra then shoots out as if from a cannon barrel.

Stromboli is part of the Aeolian archipelago, which consists of a total of 7 island volcanoes. The day before yesterday, the INGV reported an earthquake Mb 2.5, which occurred at a depth of 8 kilometers, approx. 6 kilometers south of Alicudi. Although this island volcano is considered inactive, the ground is anything but calm.

END OF ARTICLE

 

[XPan]

Bozdag-Guzdek mud volcano, Azerbaijan
14 May 2024

Schlammvulkan Bozdag-Guzdek in Aserbaidschan eruptiert - Vulkane Net Newsblog

In Aserbaidschan ist der Schlammvulkan Bozdag-Guzdek zum ersten Mal seit 15 Jahren ausgebrochen. Die Schlammeruption dauerte neun Minuten.

www.vulkane.net

The Bozdag-Guzdek mud volcano in Azerbaijan has erupted - after a 15-year break

The Bozdag-Guzdek mud volcano in Azerbaijan has erupted for the first time in 15 years. The mud eruption lasted nine minutes and caused seismic signals that were detected by the country's Republican Seismic Survey Center. The eruption occurred on May 13 at 02:13 local time.

The mud volcano has a 3.5 kilometer deep vent
and is located near the Sangachal oil field. It is one of the largest oil and gas production areas in Azerbaijan and is located near the city of Baku on the Absheron Peninsula. Consequently, the mud volcano has nothing to do with real volcanism or magmatism: its eruptions are linked to methane gas, of which there is more than enough in the area. This is also reflected in the high number of mud volcanoes that produce organic compounds. A good 700 mud volcanoes are known in the world, a good half of which are located in Azerbaijan.

Another well-known mud volcano in Azerbaijan is Toragay in the south of Qobustan. It is the largest of its kind in the world. Its crater cone is 400 meters high and has a diameter of 150 meters. The volcano erupted six times between 1841 and 1950.

Azerbaijan is often referred to as the land of fire
and the mud volcanoes are undoubtedly one of the country's most visited natural attractions. They attract people from all over the world, so much so that a veritable mud volcano tourism industry has developed. The mud from the Bozdag-Guzdek mud volcano contains many organic compounds such as iodine, bromine and hydrogen sulphide. Hydrogen sulphide is said to have healing properties, which makes it particularly attractive to tourists. According to a report in the online magazine Azernews, chemical analyses of the mud showed that it could have originated from the reaction of the rock with magmatic fluids. So there is a link to real volcanism after all.

END OF ARTICLE

 

[XPan]

Campi Flegrei, Pozzuoli, Italy
12 May 2024

Campi Flegrei: Neuer Umweltalarm diskutiert - Vulkane Net Newsblog

Behörden diskutieren Einführung eines neuen Umweltalarms für die Campi Flegrei: es soll vor Gasverschmutzung gewarnt werden.

www.vulkane.net

Authorities discuss the introduction of a new environmental alert for Campi Flegrei

While the geologically induced unrest in the area of the Campi Flegrei caldera in southern Italy continues, the responsible authorities are discussing the introduction of a new environmental alarm. According to press reports, the risk of health hazards due to air pollution caused by the emission of magmatic gases in the caldera has not been given sufficient attention to date. Children, the elderly and sick people in particular are at risk from even low concentrations of magmatic gases in the air they breathe.

At times, local residents report the strong smell of hydrogen sulphide, which we all know well from the smell of "rotten eggs". Hydrogen sulphide is one of the compounds emitted by volcanoes, but can also be produced by decomposition processes. Hydrogen sulphide is just one of many gases produced by the fumaroles in the Solfatara area.

Largely odorless are gases such as sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide, which can escape from the volcano in large quantities and are toxic or pose a health hazard because some carbon gases are heavier than oxygen and displace it near the ground. As a result, there is a risk of asphyxiation, especially if carbon dioxide accumulates in lowlands or cellars. The introduction of an environmental alarm to warn and inform the population of gas emissions has therefore been discussed. The form in which the warnings are to be communicated has not yet been announced.

The gases emitted are of magmatic origin and escape from a magma body. The depth of the magma body has recently been the subject of heated debate. It is considered certain that a large magma accumulation is present at depths beyond 8 kilometers. Geoscientists disagree about the existence of a smaller magma accumulation at a depth of 4 kilometers. Should a large amount of melt accumulate here, there is a risk of a volcanic eruption.

Residents of Solfatara report on social media that the INGV now visits the crater almost daily to carry out inspections. This is an indication of how serious the situation is currently considered to be.

In the meantime, earthquake activity in the Campi Flegrei area continues, albeit not at swarm earthquake level. Almost 30 quakes have been detected by the INGV since yesterday. The strongest had a magnitude of 1.7 and manifested itself this morning. The activity is not expected to subside.

END OF ARTICLE

 

[XPan]

Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland
15 May 2024

It might be soon time for another eruption... German Vulkane.net reports following:

Island: Bodenhebung und Erdbeben am 15. Mai - Vulkane Net Newsblog

Bodenhebung und Erdbeben gehen weiter – Ausbruch jeder Zeit möglich Im Svartsengigebiet auf der isländischen Reykjaneshalbinsel gehen Bodenhebung und Erdbeben weiter. Gestern meldete IMO etwa 60 Erdbeben, die sich im Magmakorridor nördlich von Grindavik ereigneten. Dies ähnelt der seismischen...

www.vulkane.net

Ground uplift and earthquakes continue - eruption possible at any time

Ground uplift and earthquakes continue in the Svartsengi area on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula. Yesterday, IMO reported about 60 earthquakes occurring in the magma corridor north of Grindavik. This is similar to the seismic activity that has been recorded in recent days. Since the end of the volcanic eruption, around 50 to 80 earthquakes have been recorded every day, most of them in the areas between Stóra-Skógfell and Hagafell on the one hand and south of Þorbjörn on the other. Today, the seismicity is comparable to that of the last few days. It is noticeable that there are again more earthquakes in the neighbouring fissure systems. Several tremors were detected in the Krysuvik system in particular.




The ground uplift
is continuing at the same rate that we have been observing for several weeks now. According to IMO's GPS measurements, the ground has risen by a good 23 centimetres since 16 March.

"Although it is quiet at the moment, preparations are being made for the next eruption, whenever that may be," volcanology professor Ármann Höskuldsson told the newspaper MBL. However, he also said that something had changed in the magmatic system since the last eruption. He cited the long duration of the eruption and the general slowdown in magma ascent compared to the period before the eruption.

Although more melt has accumulated since the last eruption than was the case before the other eruptions and vein formations, Ármann is of the opinion that it could still be weeks or months before the next eruption. The reason he gave was that the subsurface at Svartsengi would become increasingly elastic, allowing the magma body to grow larger before the pressure becomes too great and an eruption or intrusion occurs.

Ármann argues that the next eruption could be the last in the Sundhnukur area. He predicts a shift in activity to the west and hopes that eruptions will then occur in the Eldvörp crater series. This is located at a somewhat greater distance from the infrastructure of Svartsengi and Grindavik.

END OF ARTICLE

 

[sToRmR1dR]

Seven villages have been evacuated after Ibu volcano erupted.

 

[mabar]

esidents of Solfatara report on social media that the INGV now visits the crater almost daily to carry out inspections. This is an indication of how serious the situation is currently considered to be.

As long it does not erupts like this:

This incredible numerical simulation created by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (@INGVterremoti ) of #Italy shows a hypothetical plinian plume collapse scenario at #CampiFlegrei.

This simulation takes as a basis what happened on Monte Spina about 4,500 years ago, this was one of the largest eruptions occurred in this caldera in the last 15,000 years.

The isosurfaces shown in the video represent the temperature of the pyroclastic mixture at 100°C (outside, pink) and 350°C (inside, red to yellow).

If a similar event were to occur today, it would have terrible consequences for the entire Bay of #Napoli.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1792725121473315314

 

[mabar]

The people are quite nervous over there, I would be too if there was a possibility of an eruption like the video of above.
Phlegraean Fields, summit with Meloni and ministers on Wednesday

In Pozzuoli today, everyone is saying it. The more than 160 tremors - 150 from 7:51 p.m. to 0:31 a.m. and another 15 after the swarm - that alternated during the night, primarily the 4.4-magnitude one, the strongest in 40 years, put a tremendous strain on those who have been dealing with bradyseism for a lifetime.
...

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will chair an interministerial summit on Wednesday at Palazzo Chigi on the situation in the Phlegraean Fields after last night's earthquake swarm. This was announced by Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci, stressing that on the table will be "any further interventions by the government, after those already promoted and being implemented by the decree law of last October." "I am in constant contact with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni," Musumeci added, "who has been following the situation since last night.

"We are setting up, as a complete precaution, three waiting and reception areas in the municipalities of Naples, Pozzuoli and Bacoli," said Naples Prefect Michele di Bari.

In the area affected by the earthquake activity in the Phlegraean Fields, the Civil Defense is working right now and, in particular, is checking the stability of buildings, explained Civil Defense chief Fabrizio Curcio.

Schools in Pozzuoli will almost certainly remain closed on Wednesday and a stop is not ruled out for the next few days as well. According to reports, inspections are underway and damage has reportedly been found in some institutions. The final decision will be made in the coming hours by virtue of the expert inspections that are being put in place in these hours

"Five waiting areas were set up overnight in Pozzuoli and a reception area at the Palatrincone in Monterusciello, where 80 people slept," the Campi Flegrei earthquake crisis unit announced on social media. "Waiting areas have also been set up in Bacoli. The inspections have so far led to the evacuation of 19 buildings and the evacuation of 42 families. The activity of the technicians continues with the arrival of additional teams provided by fire departments and professional orders," it is stressed.

Meanwhile, the transfer of the 140 inmates in Pozzuoli women's prison has begun. A measure-as explained by Naples Prefect Michele di Bari and Campania's provveditore delle carceri, Lucia Castellano-that was necessary for precautionary reasons. Last night's tremors, in fact, caused minor damage to the facility, the extent of which needs to be investigated. The inmates will be relocated to other facilities in Campania. The idea is - once the checks are completed - to have them returned as soon as possible. The inmates are being transferred by means of several buses.

Luigi and Margherita last night took their car and drove to Formia: their six-year-old daughter and parents, aged 90 and 84, were on board. Margherita cries when she recounts what happened, "I can't explain it, the earth wouldn't stop shaking, it's as if there was something underneath ready to burst." "This time is enough, this time we are really leaving here," she adds, "I was born in Pozzuoli, I am 47 years old, but life has become impossible here.

Then there is anger. "But do you know that here in so many ways there are fiber yards, but does that seem normal to you? - says Pasquale - yesterday here was chaos. People driving wildly, horns of people wanting to overtake others. What if it had happened during the day? What if schools had been open? Panic is likely to create more damage than the earthquake itself. People don't know what to do."

 

[XPan]

Grindavik, Iceland
30 May 2024

Following the new eruption on Iceland north of Grindavik yesterday 29th May - it has stabilized for the time being - and the protection walls have successfully kept the lava away.

German Vulkane.net wrote following:



Volcanic eruption has stabilised at a moderate level - several vents active

The activity of the Sundhnukur crater (Sundhnúksgígar) increased somewhat over the course of the day and stabilised at a moderate level. This is also reflected in the course of the tremor graph, which moves sideways without major fluctuations. Several vents are active on a 200 - 300 m long fissure segment, whereby the activity is dominated by 2 craters that formed in the area of the old cinder cone from March. A lot of lava is still being extracted. It first flows off to the sides and then swings southwards and flows towards Grindavik, but without reaching the town. Some distance from this eruption centre, there is another smaller fissure area that is slightly active.




The head of the Civil Protection Agency stated
in an MBL article this morning that they are concerned about the whereabouts of the lava. He believes that secondary lava lakes are forming on the extensive lava field and are being dammed up by natural barriers on the lava field. If these barriers were to break, a veritable flood of lava could pour towards Grindavik, which could not be stopped by the artificial barriers. The plan was to set off on observation flights during the course of the day to track down these lava lakes.



A mapping flight was already undertaken yesterday evening
and a map of the new lava flows and the eruption fissure was produced. It can be seen that the fissure is not completely straight and is divided into segments. The eruption is fed by a magmatic vein that intruded between the Stóra-Skógfel and Hagafell hills. According to new estimates, the ground has sunk by 15 centimetres. 15 million cubic metres of magma have been discharged from the magma reservoir under Svartsengi since the intrusion yesterday. The GPS measurements show that the subsidence has at least slowed down considerably or even stopped. It is not yet possible to estimate exactly whether a balance has already been reached between magma ascent under Svartsengi and the eruption's production rate. We may know more tomorrow.

END OF ARTICLE

---

Initial images from the eruption
29 May 2024

 

[XPan]

Grindavik, Iceland
31 May 2024

German Vulkane.net wrote another article about the ongoing eruption on Iceland.



Eruption in Iceland continues at a reduced level - Grindavikurvegur interrupted for a long stretch

The volcanic eruption in Iceland continues on Friday, albeit in a weakened form. However, several vents along the Sundhnúksgígar eruption fissure are still active. The decline in activity is particularly noticeable in the crater that has been the most active so far, which formed on the back of the crater of the March eruption. Although the height of the lava fountains there has decreased considerably, a lava flow is still being emitted. The lava ejection from the vent at the northern end of the described fissure segment, which can be seen in the centre of the image above, is the most intense. A new crater cone is already forming there.

The lava flows are mainly flowing southwards, but without reaching Grindavik. New aerial photos show that the lava flow interrupted the main road Grindavikurvegur for a long distance during the first hours of the eruption. The same applies to the temporary power line, which was only installed after the eruption in January to replace the destroyed main line.




The fight to preserve Grindavik continues

Of course, the descendants of the Vikings have not given up on this crisis and have announced that they will repair the road and power line. However, due to the extensive damage over a long stretch, this will take several weeks. Grindavik is without power and emergency generators are being set up again. The farm east of Grindavik in particular needs electricity, as the milking machines, for example, have to be operated. The emergency services and repair teams are therefore concentrating their efforts on this area first.

The GPS data on ground deformation increasingly indicate that the subsidence has stopped and the ground is no longer sinking significantly. This means that the eruption is ejecting about as much lava as is rising under Svartsengi. We were able to observe something similar during the last eruption. We can assume that we will see a slight uplift of the ground again in a few days when the lava emission at Sundhnukur subsides further. It will probably take 25 to 30 million cubic metres of magma to flow into the reservoir before the next eruption begins. The question is whether the next eruption will occur in the same place again or whether the eruption centre will shift to the west as predicted by some researchers. We can remain curious!

END OF ARTICLE

 

[XPan]

Kilauea, Hawai'i
3 June 2024

A new eruption has occurred on Hawai'i Big island - after there has been sudden earthquake swarms south of the caldera recently. German Vulkane.net wrote following:

Kilauea: Vulkanausbruch am 3. Juni - Vulkane Net Newsblog

Kilauea auf Hawaii ist nach Erdbebenserie ausgebrochen. Eruptionsspalte liegt außerhalb der Caldera. Situation unklar.

www.vulkane.net

Kilauea on Hawaii has erupted - eruption fissure lies outside the caldera

As the HVO announced this afternoon, the earthquake activity reported this morning has this time culminated in a volcanic eruption at Kilauea in Hawaii. Unlike the last eruptions, this time the eruption center is outside the summit caldera. This makes it the first eruption on the slope of the volcano since the Leilani eruption in 2018.

The eruption began on Monday at around 0:30 HST. The exact location of the eruption is still undetermined. It is thought to be about 1-2 km south of the Kīlauea caldera and north of the Koa'e fault system and Hilina Pali Road in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The aforementioned earthquake swarm that preceded the eruption consisted of a good 420 tremors and also manifested itself south of the caldera. It can therefore be assumed that the eruption fissure formed above the passage whose intrusion caused the earthquakes.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) has therefore raised the volcano alert level for ground-based hazards from "Watch" to "Warning" and the color code for air traffic from "Orange" to "Red".

Images show a glow in the night sky, indicating that lava is currently escaping from fissures. The last eruption in this region took place in December 1974 and lasted around 6 hours. It is currently not possible to predict how long the current eruption will last.

Seismicity and ground deformation beneath the East Rift Zone and the Southwest Rift Zone remain low. The current activity is limited to an area near the summit region.

The HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea volcano for signs of changing activity. Should the volcanic activity change significantly, an updated report will be issued.

Residents and visitors should stay informed and follow the instructions of the County of Hawaii and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Unfortunately, there are no webcams pointed at the eruption site as of yet. Most cameras still show the caldera with the Halma'uma'u crater steaming a bit.

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