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Archived Volcano News - John Seach
June 2006
News reports posted in Eastern Australian Time (UT + 10 hr)
Reports written by John Seach
South Sandwich Islands (South Altantic)
Thursday 29th June 2006
Two volcanoes are active in the South Sandwich Islands. On 9th June, hotspots were visible on Saunders Island, indicating possible a possible eruption at Mt Michael volcano. The volcano was last active in 1998 when there was a lava lake present in the summit crater. On Montagu Island, Mt Belinda volcano has shown signs of activity during May and June, with hotspots visible on satellite images. The first recorded eruptions at Mt Belinda were in 2001. Saunders and Montagu Islands are uninhabited.
More on Mt Belinda Volcano...
More on Mt Michael Volcano...
Soufriere Hills Volcano (Montserrat)
16.72 N, 62.18 W, summit elevation 915 m, stratovolcano
Wednesday 28th June 2006
Soufriere Hills volcano has been raised to level 4 alert after shallow earthquake swarms were detected last weekend. Lava dome collapse or explosive eruptions could affect local populations.
More on Soufriere Hills Volcano...
Bulusan Volcano (Philippines)
12.77 N, 124.05 E, summit elevation 1565 m, stratovolcano
Sunday 25th June 2006
About 100 residents of a village near Bulusan volcano fled from a mudflow late yesterday. Ash and boulders were emitted from recent eruptions of the volcano and were washed down the mountain after heavy rains. Nearly 2,000 people have been evacuated to school buildings in Irosin and the nearby towns of Casiguran and Juban since Bulusan volcano began showing signs of activity in March this year.
More on Bulusan Volcano...
Volcanoes of Philippines...
Merapi Volcano (Indonesia)
7.54 S, 110.44 E, summit elevation 2911 m, Stratovolcano
Thursday 22nd June 2006
Eruptions continue at Merapi Volcano in Indonesia. Yesterday there were 15 pyroclastic flows and 256 lava avalanches. The volcano remains at maximum level 4 alert.
More on Merapi Volcano...
Volcanoes of Indonesia...
Bulusan Volcano (Philippines)
12.77 N, 124.05 E, summit elevation 1565 m, stratovolcano
Tuesday 20th June 2006
Eruptions of Bulusan Volcano has forced the evacuation of 900 residents. A major eruption could affect the towns of Bulusan, Barcelona, Casiguran, Juban, Irosin, and Gubat and endanger up to 80,000 people. Currently there is a lack of volcanic earthquakes and low levels of sulphur dioxide being emitted, which indicates a lack of magma intrusion into shallow depths under the volcano. Bulusan volcano is at level 2 alert (maximun 5) and there is a 4 km danger zone around the volcano.
More on Bulusan Volcano...
Volcanoes of Philippines...
Merapi Volcano (Indonesia)
7.54 S, 110.44 E, summit elevation 2911 m, Stratovolcano
Friday 16th June 2006
Two men trapped in a bunker by volcanic debris from an eruption of Merapi volcano have been found dead. Soldiers in fire-retardant clothing found the two bodies at 7:55 a.m. after digging through the debris with shovel and backhoes. Hot clouds of volcanic ash, gas and debris, known as pyroclastic flows have been descending the volcano since last month. Locals call the clouds "Wedhus Gembel", or "shaggy sheep" because they resemble tightly curled balls of wool as they avalanche down the mountain at speeds of more than 100 kilometers an hour.
More on Merapi Volcano...
Volcanoes of Indonesia...
Merapi Volcano (Indonesia)
7.54 S, 110.44 E, summit elevation 2911 m, Stratovolcano
Thursday 15th June 2006
Two people have been trapped in an underground bunker after an eruption from Merapi volcano on Wednesday. The bunkers are usually equipped with water and food and emergency supplies of oxygen. There workers were initially speaking to rescuers via mobile phone, but contact has been lost. Soldiers in heat resistant suits dug through debris today trying to free the workers, but had to flee further eruptions from the volcano. Heat melted the troops' shovels and the tires on a mechanical digger brought into plow through more than two meters of volcanic debris covering the bunker.
More on Merapi Volcano...
Volcanoes of Indonesia...
Merapi Volcano (Indonesia)
7.54 S, 110.44 E, summit elevation 2911 m, Stratovolcano
Wednesday 14th June 2006
Merapi volcano has been placed on level 4 alert less than a day after the level was reduced to level 3. This follows an eruption today which caused 1000 people to flee from the volcano. Most of those who fled three villages on the mountain's southern slopes had returned home earlier Wednesday after spending several weeks in camps. Tuesday's decision to lower the alert level meant that several thousand villagers who had been living in camps were allowed to return home, but they were told to be alert and evacuation trucks remained on standby. A pyroclastic flow traveled 5 km down the mountain and almost reached a village.
More on Merapi Volcano...
Volcanoes of Indonesia...
Bulusan Volcano (Philippines)
12.77 N, 124.05 E, summit elevation 1565 m, stratovolcano
Saturday 10th June 2006
Bulusan Volcano erupted ash to a height of 1km above the crater today. Monitoring of the volcano by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) indicates magma is rising to the surface. Casiguran town, on Bulusan's northern slopes, was declared under a state of calamity on Friday after ash damaged houses, crops and forced schools to close. The number of people affected by the eruption has risen to 7700. One person has died from an asthma attack caused by exposure to volcanic emissions. Scientists recorded zero visibility in several places in Casiguran on Wednesday caused by thick volcanic ash from the series of explosions.
More on Bulusan Volcano...
Volcanoes of Philippines...
Merapi Volcano (Indonesia)
7.54 S, 110.44 E, summit elevation 2911 m, Stratovolcano
Thursday 8th June 2006
Continuous pyroclastic flows lasting as long as 12 minutes were observed at Merapi volcano today. Maximum runout distances were 5km. After the large event, further pyroclastic flows were occurring every 5 minutes, but the runout distances were less. This is an increase in activity at Merapi. Over the past two days 18,000 people have been evacuated from the volcano slopes. Activity at Merapi has increased since May 27 magnitude 6.2 earthquake. The lava dome is growing fast at a rate of 100,000 cubic metres per day. On June 7 the height of the lava dome was 112m with a volume of 4 million cubic metres. The direction of pyroclastic flows has changed since the earthquake. Merapi volcano remains at maximum level 4 alert.
More on Merapi Volcano...
Volcanoes of Indonesia...
Bulusan Volcano (Philippines)
12.77 N, 124.05 E, summit elevation 1565 m, stratovolcano
Thursday 8th June 2006
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised Bulusan volcano to alert level 2 (maximum is 5) following a series of explosions yesterday. This indicates elevated activity of the volcano, which may produce hazardous magmatic eruption. The explosion a 8:17 PM until 8:30 PM Wednesday and 2:26 AM today generated ash and steams clouds that rose to about 2 kilometers above the volcano summit. The current alert status restricts entry within 4 kilometers of the summit area because further sudden explosions may occur. The public is also advised to avoid gullies that lead to the middle and upper slopes because of hazardous lahar and related volcanic flows. Light ash fall was reported at Inlagadian in Casiguran town 5 kilometers north of the volcano and as far as the capital Sorsogon City about 20 kilometers north of Bulusan.
More on Bulusan Volcano...
Volcanoes of Philippines...
Ngauruhoe Volcano (New Zealand)
39.13 S, 175.642 E, summit elevation 1978 m, Stratovolcano
Wednesday 7th June 2006
Ngauruhoe volcano in New Zealand has been raised from zero to level 1 alert (on a scale of 0-5) after a series of earthquakes have been recorded under the mountain. The low frequency earthquakes are at a shallow depth of 4km and may indicate magma is moving under the volcano. Climbing to the crater has been banned due to the possibility of hazardous gas release. The last eruption at Ngauruhoe was in 1975. There was minor seismic activity in 1983, 1991, 1994 and 1995.
More on Ngauruhoe Volcano...
Volcanoes of New Zealand...
Merapi Volcano (Indonesia)
7.54 S, 110.44 E, summit elevation 2911 m, Stratovolcano
Tuesday 6th June 2006
Merapi volcano remains at maximum alert level 4. A 7km exclusion zone applies around the volcano. Yesterday seismic recording showed 300 avalanches, 157 pyroclastic flows, and 17 tectonic earthquakes. An increase in volcanic activity has forced 9000 residents back to evacuation shelters.
More on Merapi Volcano...
Volcanoes of Indonesia...
Merapi Volcano (Indonesia)
7.54 S, 110.44 E, summit elevation 2911 m, Stratovolcano
Sunday 4th June 2006
Volcanic activity continues at Merapi volcano in Indonesia. Today, pyroclastic flows reached 4km SE of the crater. A large lava dome collapse could send pyroclastic flows into populated areas. A 7km exclusion zone applies around the volcano. Residents in the danger zone have been ordered to evacuate, but many refused to leave behind livestock and crops. On 3rd June, Merapi volcano produced 94 lava avalanches and 34 pyroclastic flows.
More on Merapi Volcano...
Volcanoes of Indonesia...
Merapi Volcano (Indonesia)
7.54 S, 110.44 E, summit elevation 2911 m, Stratovolcano
Saturday 3rd June 2006
The lava dome at Merapi volcano has grown by 17m in the past week and now is 100m high. Activity has been increasing at the volcano. Merapi volcano remains on maximum level 4 alert, due to the risk of pyroclastic flows. On 3rd June visual observations showed thick white emissions reaching 500m above the summit. Seismic recording showed 87 lava avalanche events, 35 pyroclastic flows, and 2 tectonic earthquakes. A 7km exclusion zone applies around the volcano.
More on Merapi Volcano...
Volcanoes of Indonesia...
Rabaul Volcano (Papua New Guinea)
4.271 S, 152.203 E, summit elevation 688 m, Caldera
Thursday 1st June 2006
A small explosion occurred at Rabaul volcano in Papua New Guinea on Thursday 1st June at 1350 hr (local time).
More on Rabaul Volcano...
Volcanoes of Papua New Guinea...