Volcano Live
volcanolive.com
Vanua Lava Volcano | John Seach
Mt Suretamatai Volcano.
Banks Islands, Torba Province, Vanuatu
13.80 S, 167.47 E
summit elevation 921 m
Complex volcano
Mt Suretamatai Volcano contains 5 cones aligned SSW-NNE. Summit elevation 921 m. Main crater is fumarolic, one km wide and 100 m deep. The volcano contains boiling mud pots. There is a 300 m wide crater lake to the north of Mt Suretamatai at an elevation of 730 m. There is a second lake 500 m wide SE of Suretamatai at 690 m elevation. The volcano has 4 secondary cones: Tow Maravrig, Tow Mear, Gemekeret and Kwon Saoro. Crocodiles inhabit the Tahiti and Selva rivers.
2014 Earthquake
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit 20 km west of Vanua Lava volcano on 2nd January 2014.
2010 Activity
Mt Suretamatai Volcano on Vanua Lava Island showed signs of activity in March 2010 after being dormant for 45 years.
1991 Observations
Observations of Mt Suretamatai in 1991 revealed super heated fumaroles, hot springs and boiling ponds along the sulfur (selva) river.
1965 Eruption
The volcano erupted simultaneously with Mt Garat on Gaua. NW flank vent eruption with pyroclastic flows.
1865 Eruption
Flames were seen rising from the volcano.
1860 Eruption
A large eruption occurred on Vanua Lava island in 1860. Explosive eruptions occurred from main cone. Ash fell on Mota Island, 10 miles away, and damaging leaves on the trees. Earthquakes were felt by residents on Mota Island.
1841 Eruption
Explosive eruption from main cone ash released.
Further reading
Barsdell, M., Smith, I.E.M. and Spörli, 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.
Vanua Lava Volcano Eruptions
1965, 1865, 1860, 1841.