Volcano Live
volcanolive.com
Merig Volcano | Dr John Seach
Last updated: January 2026
Banks Islands, Torba Province,
Vanuatu
14.32 S, 167.80 E
summit elevation ~1334 m
Stratovolcano
Merig is a small, steep-sided volcanic island (~800 m diameter) in the southern Banks Islands, distinct from nearby Merelava (Mere Lava). The young undissected cone suggests relatively recent formation, but no confirmed Holocene activity.
Warning: Merig is considered extinct with activity limited to the Pleistocene. Volcanic hazards are negligible. The remote island location poses general risks from terrain and weather.
Geology and Volcanology
Merig is a basaltic stratovolcano part of the northern Vanuatu arc. The youthful cone indicates Pleistocene formation, but no Holocene deposits or manifestations are confirmed. No geothermal features are reported. Due to its inactive status and remoteness, monitoring relies on regional networks from the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geohazards Department.
Current Activity (January 2026)
No volcanic activity has been recorded at Merig. Satellite observations show no thermal anomalies, gas emissions, or signs of unrest. The volcano remains extinct.
Eruption History
Activity is limited to the Pleistocene with formation of the cone. No Holocene or historical eruptions are known.
Further reading
Barsdell, M., Smith, I.E.M. and Sporli, K.B., 1982. The origin of reversed geochemical zoning in the northern New Hebrides volcanic arc. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 81(2), pp.148-155.
Merig Volcano Eruptions
Pleistocene
Extinct