Volcanoes Erupting All Over

Kanlaon, Philipines
3 May 2024


Mittel90-Mittel-4.jpg

Philippine volcano Kanlaon produced strong explosive eruption -
volcanic ash detected at 8900 m altitude


On the Philippine island of Negros there was a strong explosive eruption of the Kanlaon volcano today. As reported by PHILVOLCS, a voluminous ash cloud rose a good 5000 meters above the volcano's crater, reaching an altitude of almost 7500 meters above sea level. According to a VONA warning from VAAC Tokyo, the ash cloud reached an altitude of 8900 m and drifted westwards. In addition to the ash, red-hot tephra was also ejected, and it is speculated that short pyroclastic density currents may have been generated that slid up to 3 kilometers across the southern slope. This assumption is based on heat signatures detected on infrared images.

The explosion did not come as a surprise

as inflation had been building up for months and there were repeated swarm earthquakes. In addition, sulphur dioxide emissions also increased recently. Directly before the explosion, there was a strong volcanotectonic earthquake.

The eruption began at 18:51 local time and lasted a good 6 minutes. In communities on the western slopes of the volcano, there were reports of heavy ashfall and sulfurous odors. Only two weak volcanic earthquakes were recorded after the explosion.

Against this background, the responsible institute PHIVOLCS raised the alert level of the Kanlaon volcano from "1" to "2". This means that unrest is currently occurring due to superficial magmatic processes, which could eventually lead to further eruptions.

The public is strongly advised to be vigilant and avoid the permanent danger zone with a radius of four kilometers to minimize the risks from sudden explosions, rockfall and landslides. In the event of ashfall that could affect communities downwind of Kanlaon crater, people should cover their nose and mouth with a damp, clean cloth or dust mask. Civil aviation authorities must also advise pilots to avoid flying near the volcano's summit as the ash from a sudden eruption can be dangerous for airplanes. PHIVOLCS is closely monitoring the Kanlaon volcano and all concerned stakeholders will be informed of any new developments.


END OF ARTICLE

2.jpg 1.jpg
 
Kilauea, Hawai'i Big Island
4 June 2024

The eruption continues (after a short break)


unnamed-file-1024x444.jpg

Volcanic eruption at Kilauea in Hawaii continues after pause - fissure 2 km southwest of the caldera

The volcanic eruption at Kilauea in Hawaii, which began yesterday, is continuing after a pause. This can be seen on a newly installed webcam. At noon (Hawaii time, for us it was 1 a.m.) the HVO reported a pause in the eruption, which could have been the end. The eruptions in the area southwest of the summit caldera are known for their short-lived nature.

Mittel90-Mittel-5.jpg

The eruption began yesterday at 0:30 HST
when several fissures opened about 2 kilometers southwest of the caldera. Small lava fountains were erupted from only one comparatively short segment of a larger fissure system, which fed a lava flow. Steam was partially emitted from other fissure segments. As the HVO describes, the lava flow was active until noon yesterday, but was moving slowly. It came to a standstill at around 12:30 HST. However, glowing areas were still observed.

In the morning, a sulphur dioxide emission of approx. 15,000 tons per day was measured. Emissions dropped to 12,000 tons per day by noon. These high values indicate that there is still far more magma in the ground than the lava that has been emitted so far. Volcanic tremors associated with fluid movements were also recorded by seismometers at the summit during the pause, but with slightly less intensity.

Earthquake activity decreased significantly
with the beginning of the eruption in the summit region of Kīlauea. In the last eight hours, all seismicity was concentrated near Maunaiki at the western end of the rupture system that opened during this eruption. Since 2 a.m. HST, ground deformation has been characterized by slow subsidence of the summit, indicating that magma may still be flowing southwestward from the summit reservoir into the eruption area.

Mittel-5-1.jpg

The large crack system that developed over the past day
extends well beyond the westernmost active fissure, suggesting that magma has been shallowly emplaced to the east side of Maunaiki, where the recent earthquake swarms occur. The fissure system opened in the area where there had already been a major magma intrusion in the form of a vein formation on January 31, 2024. The event was accompanied by strong earthquake activity and an eruption was already expected at that time, but it failed to materialize.


END OF ARTICLE
 
Grindavik, Iceland
4 June 2024

Icelandic news Visir.is writes in a short article:

1.jpg
An eruption began at Sundhnúk on Wednesday. The photo was taken on Saturday.


Seems to have significantly reduced the power of the eruption.

"The power of the volcanic eruption at Sundhnúk seems to have decreased significantly around 2 am this morning, according to Eldfjall and Suðurland's natural disaster group.

In an announcement from the group, it is said that the power of the northern crater, which erupted violently yesterday, has particularly decreased. You can still see isolated lava flows from that crater, but much smaller than yesterday. Therefore, it seems only a matter of time when that crater stopped erupting.

Along with this, the volcanic eruption fell quite sharply, but remained stable until late at night. The southern and larger crater is still alive, although it is not erupting as powerfully as yesterday. That crater is next to the crater that erupted furthest in the last eruption.

The eruption has now lasted for almost six days, making it the second longest in the current series of eruptions"
[?!?]


END OF ARTICLE
 
Grindavik, Iceland
3 June 2024

Another earlier article from Icelandic visir.is - regarding a crack in one of the walls that protect the town.

2.jpg
The crack stretches from Hagafell and south under the defenses towards Hópsvík in Grindavík.


Watch closely for a new crack within the ramparts

The Icelandic Meteorological Office is closely monitoring a crack that opened within the defenses near Grindavík on Saturday, but steam is pouring from the crack due to the high temperature below the surface. This is confirmed by a natural hazard expert from the Icelandic Meteorological Office in a conversation with Vísi.

It is a surface fissure and the Icelandic Meteorological Agency's expert says that there is no indication of magma flowing under the fissure, even though the area is very hot. The crack stretches from Hagafell, north of Grindavík and south under the bulwark and ends north of Hópsvärvið in Grindavík, so the crack is quite long.

No evidence of magma beneath the fissure

If magma were to flow from the surface fissure, it would have serious consequences for the settlement in Grindavík. However, the Norwegian Meteorological Agency's expert notes that it could take several hours for magma to reach settlements in the area if magma were to rise in the southern part of the fissure, and reiterates that there is no evidence of magma flowing under the fissure.

"It all depends on the amount that would come up, and since there is not a big deficit in this area," says the Icelandic Meteorological Agency's expert.

The Icelandic Meteorological Agency is now closely monitoring the crack with the help of web cameras and in cooperation with emergency responders in the area. "This is definitely something that needs to be monitored, and civil defense is aware of this."


END OF ARTICLE
 
On 4th July two vulcanos in Southern Italy, near Sicily have have erupted.

Here below you can find a few more details on the eruption of both vulcanos from Agi.it

Stromboli and Etna are in full and violent activity. From the Aeolian volcano this afternoon, a pyroclastic flow was released that rapidly developed along the Sciara del fuoco reaching the coastline and propagating into the sea for several hundred meters. In addition, explains the Ingv in Catania, the lava flow produced by the mouth located at an altitude of 700 meters and propagating along the Sciara del Fuoco reached the coastline around 5:30 p.m. The lava flow is still well fed. A column of ash rises from the Sciara del Fuoco, reaching a height of about 2,000 meters. At 4:17 p.m. a sudden and conspicuous increase in the amplitude of the seismic signal was observed, which rose to a very high level on which it currently lingers.

Analysis of ground deformation data shows slight deformations and displacements of seismic monitoring stations, but these displacements need to be confirmed by subsequent analysis, however, as they may be affected by errors due to the high amount of ash in the atmosphere disturbing the signal. Europe's tallest volcano, in turn, which in recent weeks had seen the central crater, known as "Voragine," put on a show with intense but harmless fountains of fire, has changed the 'behavior' of this same crater overnight and in these hours gives rise to paroxysmal activity. "The Strombolian activity at the Voragine crater," volcanologists explain, "has evolved into a lava fountain and produces a column that reaches a height of about 4500 meters and propagates in a southeasterly direction," with "ash fallout over several settlements in the southeastern Etna area and as far as Catania. The mean amplitude of the tremor, after reaching a maximum value around 4:30 p.m., decreased abruptly to the range of average values. Around 5 p.m. a new phase of rapid increase brought the amplitude back to high values, where it still remains with very high values. The centroid of the volcanic tremor sources continues to be located just east of Voragine crater at an elevation of about 2900 meters above sea level.

Infrasonic events also saw a rapid decrease in frequency of occurrence until they disappeared between 4:45 p.m. and 5:25 p.m. Thereafter, a resumption of activity characterized by infrasonic events and tremors was observed. These are localized to the Voragine crater and the amplitude of the events is high. Analysis of ground deformation data show a complex and still rapidly evolving pattern." Voragine crater is located on the summit area of the volcano, along with three other craters: Bocca Nuova, Northeast Crater and Southeast Crater: it is the latter that makes Etna reach 3351 meters.
Edit: added link of the source info
 
Stromboli, Sicily
5 July 2024

in the past two days, three events appear to have occurred at the Stromboli volcano, located north of Sicily among the Aeolian Islands. Already yesterdays (second) event erupted with a smaller, slim pyroclastic cloud which reached the sea. However, today's event was way bigger, and the volcano is now set alert status RED.

German Vulkane.net writes following


Red alert still in force after pyroclastic flows - civil protection warns of seismicity

Mittel-Mittel-4.jpg
Image of this early mornings eruption at Stromboli (25 kb image)

Yesterday, the Lipari island volcano Stromboli produced a series of pyroclastic flows
at least one of which ran several hundred meters out to sea, posing a danger to shipping traffic. For this reason, a restricted area marked with buoys has been in place for several years in the sea off the Sciara del Fuoco, where the pyroclastic flows normally pass. Pictures now show that some boats were nevertheless close to the coast and were almost caught by the pyroclastic flow. Nevertheless, they were lucky and there have been no reports of personal injury.

2000 meter height
The volcanic ash that rose from the pyroclastic flows reached a height of 2000 meters and blew southwards. A lava flow was underway on Sciara del Fuoco. Unfortunately, most of the livecams are offline, so there is no possibility to make visual observations from a distance. Presumably, the lava flow triggered another collapse in the crater area, and hot lava blocks fragmented, from which the density flows emerged. On a thermal cam on the coast, which is still working, a thermal signature can be seen which indicates that the lava flow is active and has now reached the coast.

Last night at 8pm, when the main phase of the eruption was over
the civil defense and the local government issued a red alert for Stromboli. The media only state that measures have been taken to protect everyone on the island and that they are in contact with them. They are currently in the "early warning" phase and are strengthening the monitoring of the volcano. What this means in concrete terms for the access restrictions at the volcano has not been communicated. However, it can be assumed that access to the observation points at 290 and 400 meters above sea level is also prohibited. This is certainly a bitter disappointment for all Stromboli vacationers.

What disappoints me personally in this context is that there is still no central information point or website where potential Stromboli vacationers and volcano spotters can find out about the access options and restrictions. Even when you're there, you're always told: "You'll have to go to one of the volcano guides this afternoon, they might know." I suspect that this salami-slicing tactic is deliberate and they hope that the tourists will come (again) anyway. An imposition in the age of smartphone apps!

Warning of earthquake activity
According to media reports, the authorities are now also warning of earthquake activity on Stromboli. What surprises me, just like the lack of communication in relation to tourism, is the fact that the scientists don't make any forecasts and only raise the warning level after the fact, when something has already happened. There were and are warning signs that can be recognized months in advance. After the fatal ruling on the earthquakes in northern Italy, in which researchers were convicted of making incorrect forecasts, the wind may have been taken out of the scientists' sails.

Incidentally, earthquakes on Stromboli will not pose the greatest conceivable danger. Rather, they are regarded as indicators of a further increase in the volcano's activity. If a stronger earthquake does occur, there is a particular risk of large landslides that could trigger tsunamis. Of course, these can also occur without major earthquakes, for example due to a major volcanic eruption. Conversely, large landslides could also trigger eruptions. There is a tsunami early warning system, but on Stromboli itself there are at best only minutes to leave coastal areas in the event of a tsunami.


END OF ARTICLE

Video of the pyroclastic cloud in both thermal as well visual footage

_-2024-07-05-at-14.06.31.jpg
• Thermal vs visual (21 kb image)
 
Etna, Sicily
5 July 2024

Kind of funny how Etna and Stromboli sometimes appear to "compete" with one another... showing sudden activity together or at least together within a short time frame. Etna had for over a week heightened activity going on within the Voragine crater at the top. It first started with a tiny opening of lava splatter. This opening has now grown into a new cone of around 20 meter height.As well a steady lava stream flowing into (and within) the main crater. However, since yesterday - Etna had a new Paroxysm and the activity of lava foundtains where visible all night in webcams.

Ash has fallen until this morning, which lead to the closure of the Catania Airport (My husbands ex wife got her morning flight to Turin cancelled).

German Vulkane.net writes following (4 July 2024) which means it doesn't include this early mornings (abating) activity.


etna03-1.jpg
Etna on 4 July 2024. (29 kb image)

Mount Etna produces a paroxysmal eruption from the Voragine crater
- volcanic ash several kilometers high


In the course of the afternoon, the strombolian activity in the summit crater Voragine increased to a paroxysmal volcanic eruption. The VAAC Toulouse already registered volcanic ash at an altitude of 4600 m at 17:00 UTC. At this time, the eruption was still building up. The ash cloud is currently expected to rise much higher. The alert status for air traffic was raised to "red". The volcanic ash was drifting in a south-easterly direction, i.e. not directly towards Catania Airport, but flight operations could still be disrupted.

As it was cloudy on Mount Etna in the afternoon, the build-up phase of the eruption was partly hidden, but the livecams are now revealing the view and you can see not only volcanic ash rising, but also a spectacular lava fountain that is pumping glowing tephra several hundred meters high.


Mittel-Mittel-3.jpg
Graph of Etna's tremor levels (26 kb image)


After rising steadily over the last few days
the tremor suddenly dropped at around 14:30 UTC (there was speculation about a network failure), only to shoot up half an hour later. Since then it has been moving sideways and starting to plateau. It looks like the eruption is stable for now, and there's a possibility that it's not just a short-lived paroxysm, but a longer-lasting eruption.

It reminds me somewhat of the situation in October 2000, when there was a phase of strong paroxysms from the central crater, which never completely stopped during the calmer phases. At that time a piece of the crater wall also collapsed when a lava flow welded through it, and a pyroclastic flow went off.

I am very curious about the analyses of the lava samples. Just yesterday I wrote that the more mature type of lava that was produced at the beginning of the eruptions two weeks ago may have been formed from residual melt that could be driven by freshly rising magma. Paroxysms are usually triggered by rapidly rising primitive magma.

Update: The eruption ended in the early morning hours and the alert code was lowered to "orange".


END OF ARTICLE
 
Stromboli, Aeolian Islands - Sicily
9 July 2024

Before speaking of the ongoing lava flow activity on Stromboli; Etna had another Paroxysm, only one day later after the first.


Lava flows into the sea at Stromboli. (Photo by: Laboratorio Geofisica Sperimentale)
• Lava flows into the sea at Stromboli (115 kb image)


Stromboli continues to erupt effusively - lava flows into the sea

Stromboli continues to erupt a lava flow that flows over the Sciara del Fuoco to the coast, where it flows into the sea. The lava creates a lava delta, which in all probability will not last too long, as the waves will quickly erode it as soon as the eruption stops. The contact between the lava and water results in the development of steam, which no longer looks as strong as yesterday when viewed via livecam at midday.



stro2_.jpg
• The lava flow on the backside (Sciara del Fuoco) of Stromboli (86 kb image)

Yesterday evening and at night there were spectacular views, but these could only be enjoyed from the sea. Firstly, because from this perspective you can look directly into the canyon where the lava is flowing, and secondly because access to the viewing points at Sciara del Fuoco is said to have been closed. There is also a ban on drone flights so that the drones and helicopters of the researchers and emergency services can fly unhindered. Of course, the aim is also to prevent tourists from performing daring manoeuvres in order to get into a favourable take-off position for the unmanned aerial vehicles.

The LGS [Laboratorio Geofisica Sperimentale] has not only published impressive images of the lava flow, but also new geophysical and chemical measurement data. According to this, tremor and VLP earthquake activity are at a moderate level. Since the lava flow has been flowing from the boccas at an altitude of 480 metres, there have been neither measurable explosions nor particularly strong gas puffs. However, the emissions of volcanic gases are high. Yesterday, a very high level of sulphur dioxide emissions of 556 tonnes per day was measured. Carbon dioxide emissions were also high at 1455 tonnes per day. The thermal radiation output was 589 MW. The data corresponds to what would be expected in times of an active lava flow of this dimension. The lava flow activity also causes high rockfall activity. On previous occasions, it had been more interesting to observe than the actual lava flow. However, it would be necessary to be able to reach the Sciara del Fuoco.


The volcanic activity index is categorised as very high.

END OF ARTICLE (by Marc Szeglat)

3.jpg
Stromboli in action (45 kb image)
 
Stromboli, Aeolian Islands - Sicily
(11 July) 13 July 2024

Here is more information about the latest eruption at the Aeolian Volcano Stromboli, written via german Vulkane.net as follow:


01lgs-stro.jpg
• Eruption sequence (33 kb)

Stromboli generated very strong explosion - pyroclastic flow flowed to the sea

🔸Very strong explosion caused ash cloud to rise kilometers high
🔸A pyroclastic flow reached the coast
🔸People on the beach near Stromboli were evacuated
🔸Researchers published measurement data


As expected, the volcano on the Aeolian Islands is not coming to rest and produced a particularly powerful explosion on July 11 at 12:08 UTC. It produced an ash cloud that rose several kilometers high and was visible from afar. From pictures I estimate that it reached a height of at least 4 kilometers.

Next to the ash cloud, a pyroclastic flow went down, which flowed over the Sciara del Fuoco to the sea. A phenomenon that used to be very rare on Stromboli, but now occurs comparatively frequently in phases of increased activity. Pyroclastic flows are among the most dangerous manifestations of volcanism. They move very quickly down a volcanic slope and consist of a mixture of extremely hot gases, volcanic ash and large lava blocks that destroy everything in their path. At Stromboli, they descend via the Sciara, where no one should be, but pyroclastic flows running out to sea could endanger boats. That is why there is an exclusion zone marked with buoys in front of the fire slide.

According to Italian media reports, local residents and holidaymakers were evacuated from the beach and coast by the security forces. However, no one was injured. There were obviously fears of a tsunami, but this did not materialize. However, the masses of volcanic material brought into the sea by the pyroclastic flow caused a wave 50 centimetres high. According to the LGS, it was too low to activate the tsunami early warning system.


Geophysical measurement data on the explosion on Stromboli

2lgs.jpg
• Source of the explosion signal at 650 m. © LGS (45 kb image)

The LGS published some geophysical data
on the event shortly after the explosion: The explosion caused a very strong acoustic blast pressure of 472 Pa. This already belongs to the top class of explosions on Stromboli. The source of the explosion is said to have been located just below the crater at an altitude of 650 meters.

Three minutes before the event, the early warning system, which is designed to warn of paroxysms, responded. A good 50 minutes before the explosion, the slope was already measured to have steepened considerably. It amounted to almost 10 microradians at the OHO measuring station. The ground deformation was caused by a large magma body that was rising rapidly. The science teams that were on their way to the volcano to repair the measuring stations were notified immediately. Apparently they managed to evacuate.

The earthquakes of the last few days can be interpreted as evidence of the extraordinary events at Stromboli. It is not yet clear that the phase of increased activity has come to an end; further events could follow.

Incidentally, it was only two days ago that tourists were allowed to climb up to an altitude of 100 meters, where the Punta Labronzo pizzeria is located, so that tourism was not completely stifled and people could observe the lava flows. This "freedom" may now be over again. (Images: LGS Laboratory of Experimental Geophysics)


END OF ARTICLE
 
:wow:
the dragon coming out of the mountain in the moonlight.....
#eruption of 15 7 24
today his majesty put on a show #Etna...
#Etna live: INGV confirms that the paroxysm is still ongoing. The eruptive column produced by the Voragine Crater has reached an altitude of 6 km and is heading southeast, where it is causing modest ash fallout. Photo by Carmelo Spitaleri and Giuseppe Toñe
 
Etna, Sicily
16 July 2024

More details as follow can be read via Marc Szeglat's Vulkane.net site regarding Etna's latest paroxysm. That photo you guys; @Puma and @mabar posted above, is simply stunning ! :wow:



03-etn-1.jpg
• Etna's latest (third) paroxysm, in the night of 15-16 July 2024 by © EtnaWalk (image 53 kb)

Another paroxysm from the Voragine on Mount Etna generated a high lava fountain

Anyone who was lucky enough to observe the third paroxysm in a row from the Voragine yesterday evening saw a lava fountain that rose several hundred meters high. In my opinion, it was the strongest lava fountain of the current phase. But the lava fountain did not stop there, as the VAAC Toulouse registered volcanic ash at an altitude of over 6400 meters. The wind transported it in a south-easterly direction.

Naturally, the Voragine was active again, while the south-east crater remained calm. As reported by the INGV, the tremor source was located below the central crater at an altitude of between 2800 and 3000 meters.

Lava Flow
In addition to the lava fountain and ash cloud, a lava flow also emerged and flowed over the flank of Bocca Nuova. However, it was not as large as the lava flows that had emerged during earlier southeast crater paroxysms. MIROVA detected a thermal radiation of about 7200 MW. Certainly a very high value, but it was an order of magnitude lower than what could be measured during earlier paroxysms from the southeast crater.

The slope inclination steepened by 0.1 µrad in the run-up to the eruption as the magma rose. At the same time, a borehole dilatomometer indicated decompression.

In the villages on the Etna flank
and at the foot of the volcano, which were in the direction of the wind, there was heavy ash and lapilli rain. Experience has shown that it covers the area to a depth of several centimetres, and the removal of the deposits causes an enormous amount of work.

The paroxysm did not come as a complete surprise, as the strombolian eruptions increased in the afternoon until the main paroxysmal phase began at around 19:00 (UTC). This lasted a good four hours and then subsided relatively quickly.

Luigi-Crispi2.jpgLuigi-Crispi.jpg

• Crispi Luigi's photos of Etna, seen from Santa Maria di Licodia (size 49 kb + 66 kb)

Forecasts on the paroxysms are based on experience
It is not possible to scientifically predict what will happen next on Mount Etna. Experience shows that there could be a long-lasting series of paroxysmal eruptions, although the series from the central crater often did not last as long as those from the south-east crater. Anyone thinking about going to Sicily should therefore not wait too long, although each paroxysm could of course have been the last.

I myself am itching to go to Mount Etna, but I am currently in the southwest of the USA and am preparing to head to Arches National Park tomorrow morning. Due to my trip, there aren't as many updates here as usual, but that will soon change. Actually, I wanted to write about Stromboli today, whose crater underwent enormous morphological changes due to the powerful explosion, but postponed is not canceled!


END OF ARTICLE



Can you see Etna's eruption from the Stromboli Volcano ?
Yes indeed. the "Stromboli photographer" did so last night:

stromboli_photographer.jpg
• Seen from the island of Stromboli 15 July 2024 (image 33 kb)
 
Back
Top Bottom