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December 2009 Volcano News | John Seach
Reports by John Seach
Reports are posted in Eastern Australian Time (UT +10 hr).
Archived Volcano News
Thursday 24th December 2009
Mayon Volcano, Philippines
Eruptions continue at Mayon volcano, Philippines. Lava fountains have reached a height of 500 m above the summit. Lava is flowing down the Bonga-Buyuan, Miisi and Lidong gullies. Seismiometers measured 815 volcanic earthquakes over the past day. One hundred twenty four booming and rumbling sounds were heard over the past 24 hours. Sulphur dioxide emission was 5, 737 tonnes/day.
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Volcanoes of Philippines...
Monday 21st December 2009
Mayon Volcano, Philippines
Activity has increased at Mayon volcano, Philippines. Over the past day there were 1942 volcanic earthquakes and emission of 6089 tonnes of sulphur dioxide. Lava fountains were observed rising 200 m above the summit at 2007 hr, 2008 hr and 2018 hr on 20th December. The lava flow has extended 5 km downslope from the summit along the Bonga-Buyuan gullies.
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Sunday 20th December 2009
Mayon Volcano, Philippines
Mayon volcano has been raised to level 4 alert (out of maximum 5) at 2:30 pm on 20th December (local time). This means that a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within days. An extended danger zone has been declared in a radius of 8 km from the summit at the southern sector and 7 km at northern sector.
Areas outside of this Extended Danger Zone should prepare for evacuation in the event explosive eruptions intensify.
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Volcanoes of Philippines...
Sunday 20th December 2009
Ambrym Volcano, Vanuatu
A large amount of gas is currently being emitted by Ambrym volcano, Vanuatu, especially from the beginning of October until December. Volcanic gas measurements on 17th December 2009 show that there were 15,000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide emitted. During an expedition to Ambrym volcano by John Seach from 5-14 December 2009, there were large amounts of gases visible in the craters of Marum, Benbow, Niri Mbwelesu, and Mbogon Niri Mbwelesu. A decent into Benbow crater by John Seach on 11th December showed lava visible in one vent, and also in Mbwelesu crater on the eastern side of Marum the following day. On 6th October 2009 a MODIS satellite image showed volcanic fog (vog) extending over 800 km NW of Ambrym volcano into the Coral Sea. On 4th December 2009 John Seach observed vog over the island of Espiritu Santo in northern Vanuatu, 120 km NW of Ambrym Island, while on an Air Vanuatu flight. Acid rain is a potential hazard for communities living on Ambrym island.
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Volcanoes of Vanuatu...
Sunday 20th December 2009
Mayon Volcano, Philippines
Over the past day 222 volcanic earthquakes were recorded at Mayon volcano, Philippines. One explosion occurred which produced a plume rising 500 m above the summit. Harmonic tremors were continuously recorded by the seismic instruments. There was an intense crater glow at night and incandescent lava continuously rolled down the slopes. A lava flow extends 4.5 kilometers downslope from the crater along Bonga-Buyuan Gully. Sulphur Dioxide emission increased from 2,034 to 7,024 tonnes per day. At least 40,000 people have been evacuated from the danger zone surrounding Mayon volcano, Philippines. Evacuation centers have been set up in Camalig, Daraga, Malilipot, Sto.
Domingo, and Guinobatan towns; and Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao Cities. Residents are being removed from a 7-km Extended Danger Zone on the southeast flank of the volcano. A lahar risk is present on the southern side of the volcano, and residents have been warned to avoid river channels, especially after periods of rainfall. Lahars following the 2006 eruption of Mayon volcano killed 1200 people. Mayon volcano remains at level 3 alert (out of a maximum 5).
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Volcanoes of Philippines...
Saturday 19th December 2009
Mt Etna Volcano, Italy
A swarm of earthquakes occurred at Mt Etna volcano on 19th December. More than 30 earthquakes occurred in the swarm, with the largest being magnitude 4.6. The swarm was located under the northwest side of the volcano.
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Volcanoes of Italy...
Saturday 19th December 2009
Mayon Volcano, Philippines
Intensified activity occurred at Mayon volcano, Philippines over the past 24 hours with 197 volcanic earthquakes. There were 18 explosions and emissions reached a maximum height of 2000 m above the summit. Harmonic tremor was continuously recorded by the seismometers. Night observation showed an intensified crater glow and continuous avalanche of incandescent materials down the slopes. The lava flow has extended 4 kilometers downslope from the crater along Bonga Gully. Sulphur Dioxide emission increased from 1,065 to 2,034 tonnes per day.
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Saturday 19th December 2009
Gaua Volcano, Vanuatu
Renewed eruptive activity occurred at Gaua volcano, Vanuatu on 14th December. Ash emissions are darker than before, and fall in the western side of the island. As the trade winds cease over the next few weeks, ashfall may occur in other parts of the island. On 17th December 3000 tonnes of sulphur dioxide were emitted.
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Volcanoes of Vanuatu...
Saturday 19th December 2009
Chaiten Volcano, Chile
Between 1-15 December eruptions continued at Chaiten volcano in Chile. On 7th December emissions occurred on the north and south side of the lava dome. On that day there was a block and ash flow which indicates the dome continues to grow. There were a large number of small magnitude earthquakes. The seismicity decreased, but still remained high. The danger of dome collapse remains, and may generate explosions and pyroclastic flows. Chaiten volcano remains at alert level RED.
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Volcanoes of Chile...
Friday 18th December 2009
Mayon Volcano, Philippines
An increase in eruptions has occurred at Mayon volcano, Philippines over the past day. A total of 248 volcanic earthquakes and tremors were recorded by the seismic network. Fifty of these events were explosions. The explosions produced dark gray to dark brown ash columns that reached a maximum height of 1 km above the summit and drifted southwest. The lava flow has reached 3 km down slope from the crater, and incandescent fragments from the lava dome continuously roll down Bonga Gully reaching about 4 km down slope. Sulphur Dioxide emission rate is still high at 1,065 tonnes per day.
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Volcanoes of Philippines...
Friday 18th December 2009
Piton de la Fournaise Volcano, Reunion
On Monday 14th December 2009 a summit eruption began at Piton de la Fournaise volcano on the southern edge of Dolomieu crater at 18:45 (local time). The eruption followed a seismic crisis and a deformation of the summit. Earthquake tremor began at 18:30. The duration of the eruption was six hours, which was one of the shortest in recent decades at the volcano.
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Thursday 17th December 2009
Bezymianny Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia
An explosive eruption occurred at Bezymianny volcano, Kamchatka, between 21:45 UT on 16th December and 04:00 UT on 17th December 2009. Seismic activity at the volcano decreased significantly after 04:00 UT on 17th December. Ashfall occurred at Kozyrevsk village. Satellite images showed ash plume extending 350 km north-west of the volcano.
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Volcanoes of Kamchatka...
Thursday 17th December 2009
Mayon Volcano, Philippines
More than 30,000 people have been evacuated from an eruption of Mayon volcano in the Philippines. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level for the Mayon volcano Monday night to 3 out of a maximum 5, indicating a larger eruption could occur "within days to weeks." There are at least 50,000 people who need to be moved to a safer location. Most of the residents that are targeted for forced evacuation are on the southern side of the volcano around Camalig, Daraga and some parts of Legazpi City. The volcano is showing signs of increased activity, including an increase in volcanic earthquakes, strong crater glow, and lava flows. During the past 24 hours quiet extrusion of lava and incandescent lava fragments rolled down Bonga valley. The lava front extended 800 m from the crater, and detached fragments reached a distance of 4 km. Detached lava fragments produced a small secondary pyroclastic surge southwest of the volcano, and produced light ashfall in the municipalities of Camalig and Guinobatan. Seismic monitoring measured 78 volcanic earthquakes and tremors. The volcanic earthquakes are caused by magma ascent towards the crater, and the tremors were associated with the detached fragments of lava and rockfalls.
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Volcanoes of Philippines...
Tuesday 1st December 2009
Karkar Volcano, Papua New Guinea
The suspected eruption at Karkar volcano in Papua New Guinea was false. Aviation reports of volcanic eruptions are occasionally incorrect, and not as reliable as ground observations.
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Volcanoes of Papua New Guinea...