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Archived Volcano News - John Seach
May 2004
News reports posted in Eastern Australian Time (UT + 10 hr)
Reports written by John Seach
Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira Volcanoes (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Friday 28th May 2004
Goma Volcano Observatory confirms the eruption of Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira volcanoes. Ash falls have been reported in a 60 km radius of the volcanoes.
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Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira Volcanoes (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Thursday 27th May 2004
Two volcanoes continue to erupt in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira have been erupting since May 23rd, and there is a weak but steady emission from the volcanoes. Ash is expected to remain below 18,000 ft. The Nyiragongo eruption has been observed from satellite images, but has not been confirmed from ground observervations.
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Two Volcanoes Erupt in Democratic Republic of Congo
Tuesday 25th May, 2004
Both Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira volcanoes are currently erupting in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nyamuragira volcano began erupting on 8th May. The eruption of Nyiragongo volcano has been detected by satellite and has not been confirmed by other sources. Last night there was an increase in volcanic activity with both volcanoes erupting.
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New Volcano Discovered in Antarctica
Tuesday 25th May, 2004
A previously unknown underwater volcano has been discovered off the coast of Antarctica, and explains mariners' historical reports of discolored water in the area. The research vessel Lawrence M. Gould was returning from a study of a collapsed ice self when it passed over the volcano. Temperature probes showed evidence of geothermal heating of seawater. A lack of marine life on dark rock around the volcano indicated that lava had flowed fairly recently. The volcano is in an area known as Antarctic Sound, at the northernmost tip of Antarctica. There is no previous scientific record of active volcanoes in the region where the new peak was discovered. The volcano is located on the continental shelf, in the vicinity of a deep trough carved out by glaciers passing across the seafloor. The volcano stands 2,300 feet above the seafloor and extends to within roughly 900 feet of the ocean surface.
Volcanoes of Antarctica...
Awu Volcano (Indonesia)
3.67 N, 125.50 E, summit elevation 1320 m, Stratovolcano
Saturday 22nd May 2004
Hundreds of villagers fled their homes on Friday as Mount Awu in north Sulawesi, continued emit ash and smoke. The volcano became more active on Thursday. Awu volcano is dangerous with a history of fatal eruptions. It erupted in 1711, leaving 3,000 people dead and hundreds of houses and hectares of farmland destroyed. Another eruption in 1812 left at least 2,806 people dead. Awu erupted again in 1856, claiming more than 2,000 lives. The last fatal eruption was recorded in 1966, when at least 39 people were killed.
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Volcanoes of Indonesia...
Nyamuragira Volcano (Democratic Republic of Congo)
1.408 S, 29.20 E, summit elevation 3058 m, shield volcano
Thursday 20th May 2004
An eruption of Nyamuragira volcano was reported on 8th May. The eruption was preceded by an earthquake, felt in the Virunga area at 23h44 (UT) on May 7, 2004. Eruptive features noted from a May 9th overflight included:
1) An active lava lake in the N-NE of the caldera, with an approximate diameter of 300m.
2) An eruptive fracture, approximately 2km long, on the N-NW flank of the volcano.
3) Ash falls have been observed in several villages on the western and the northern sides of the volcano.
Nyamuragira is located north of Lake Kivu in Virunga National Park, home to endangered mountain gorillas. Although the eruption is not expected to directly threaten the health and habitat of the mountain gorillas, destruction of human settlements and agricultural areas will increase pressure on the gorillas' forest homes as local people turn to the park for food, water, and shelter materials.
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Kilauea Volcano (Hawaii)
19.425 N, 155.292 W, summit elevation 1222 m, Shield volcano
Monday 10th May, 2004
Lava is advancing towards the sea at Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. On Sunday morning lava had advanced to within 430m of the sea cliffs. Back from the coastal flat, the lava is confined to lava tubes, with several breakouts. The lava flows are once again more accessible to visitors at the end of Chain of Craters Road. The new lava flow is called the "Banana flow" and has burnt forest in its way towards the coast.
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Karymsky Volcano (Russia)
54.05 N, 159.43 E, summit elevation 1486 m, stratovolcano
Monday 10th May, 2004
In the past twenty-four hours, local seismological stations have recorded about 410 tremors at Karymsky volcano. Some of the seismic activity episodes have been accompanied with the ejection of gas and ash columns 1,500 meters into the atmosphere. Ash fallout has covered the area lying within ten kilometers of the volcano with a blanket 3 to 5 centimeters thick. Satellite images show an ash cloud from the volcano extending as far as 16 kilometers downwind.
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Kilauea Volcano (Hawaii)
19.425 N, 155.292 W, summit elevation 1222 m, Shield volcano
Saturday 8th May, 2004
Lava continues to flow towards the ocean at Kilauea volcano, and may reach the ocean within days. There was a brief pause in the flow yestersday, as the lava stopped about 800 m from the sea. The number of tourists visiting the Kilauea Volcano has increased to about 800 per day, but authorities warn that hiking to the lava flows can be dangerous. Lava last entered the ocean during the summer of 2003, and until recently most of the activity was high up on the volcano near Pu`u `O`o crater. Kilauea is one of the world's most active volcanoes, and the current eruption has been continuing since 1983.
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Sheveluch Volcano (Russia)
56.653 N, 161.360 E, summit elevation 3283 m, stratovolcano
Saturday 8th May, 2004
Eruptions continue at Sheveluch volcano in Russia. Today, ash emissions reached a height of 3700 m abovce the crater, and were accompanied by an earthquake which lasted three minutes. Seismological stations record small earthquakes every day, about magnitude 2 on the Richter scale. The earthquakes are shallow, at about 500 m depth. Satellite observations show a very hot lava dome at the volcano. The current series of eruptions have been occurring for about four months. Eruptions of the volcano are of explosive character and hard to predict.
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Volcanoes of Russia...
Veniaminof Volcano (Alaska)
56.17 N, 159.38 W, summit elevation 2507 m, stratovolcano
Thursday 6th May, 2004
Emissions of light brown ash were visible at Veniamionof Volcano on 5th May, rising to 2000 ft above the volcano. The volcano has been restless for about a week, with ash emissions, and small earthquakes. This could pose a hazard to aircraft in the vicinity of the active crater.
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Volcanoes of Alaska...
Piton de la Fournaise Volcano (Reunion)
21.22 S, 55.71 E, summit elevation 2631 m, shield volcano
Monday 3rd May, 2004
A message from Toulouse Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre on 3rd May indicated an eruption at Piton de la Fournaise volcano. Caution is advised for aircraft. Piton de la Fournaise is one of the world's most active volcanoes, with eruptions almost every year.
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Ambrym Volcano (Vanuatu)
16.25 S, 168.12 E, summit elevation 1334 m, Pyroclastic Shield Volcano
Sunday 2nd May, 2004
Eruptions continue at Ambrym volcano in Vanuatu. On 27th April a large ash plume was recorded drifting 150 km NW of the volcano, passing the northern tip of Malekula Island, almost reaching Malo Island. High levels of activity have been recorded during March and April 2004, with the inhabitants of Craig Cove, on the western side of the island, suffering from the effects of acid rainfall which threatened local gardens. Ambrym volcano is noted for the lava lakes which regularly appear in the summit craters. Report written by John Seach.
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Kilauea Volcano (Hawaii)
19.425 N, 155.292 W, summit elevation 1222 m, Shield volcano
Sunday 2nd May, 2004
Lava continues to descend Kilauea volcano towards the coastal flat. In the 24 hours to 1st May, lava moved 800-900 m down the long kipuka, reaching the gentle slope above Holei Pali at an elevation of about 600 feet. The lava still has about 700 m to travel to reach the top of the eastern end of Holei, below which is Paliuli and then the coastal flat. Most of the lava flow is moving in a forming lava tube system.
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Sheveluch Volcano (Russia)
56.653 N, 161.360 E, summit elevation 3283 m, stratovolcano
Saturday 1st May, 2004
Ash has been ejected 2,000-5,000 meters into the air from the crater of Shiveluch volcano in Kamchatka. The Kamchatka Seismologic Expedition reported on Friday that the most powerful ejection of ash (over 5,000 meters in the air) occurred at 7:24 a.m. local time and was accompanied by an earthquake that lasted five and a half minutes. The Alaskan Volcanological Observatory provided satellite photographs that show an ash trail stretching over 40 kilometers to the northeast. Seismic stations registered series of earthquakes and volcanic tremors near the active dome.
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Volcanoes of Russia...