All times are local unless otherwise stated.

Galeras | 18 August-24 August 2010 | New Activity / Unrest Cite this Report

Galeras Colombia

INGEOMINAS reported that an earthquake swarm from Galeras which began on 20 August had been preceded by increased gas emissions a few days prior. During 21-22 August seismicity remained high. Five volcano-tectonic earthquakes were felt by local residents and caused windows to vibrate. They were located within a 300-900 m radius from the crater, at depths of less than 2 km. The largest event was M 4.3. On 23 August a M 4.6 earthquake was located E of Galeras at a depth of 2 km. The Alert Level was raised to II (Orange; "probable eruption in term of days or weeks"). An eruption began on 25 August, prompting INGEOMINAS to raise the Alert Level to I (Red; "imminent eruption or in progress"). Meteorological cloud cover initially prevented visual observations of the summit, although an eruption plume was seen amongst the clouds, and thermal anomalies were detected by an infrared camera. Ashfall was reported in areas 7-12 km NW. Observers in Pasto (~ 10 km E) reported that gas-and-ash plumes rose 300 m above the crater. Source: Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC)

Aira | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Aira Kyushu (Japan)	Based on information from JMA, the Tokyo VAAC reported that explosions from Sakura-jima on 18, 21, and 23 August produced plumes that rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.4 km (6,000-8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W and NW. On 19 and 24 August pilots observed ash plumes that rose to altitudes of 1.5-2.7 km (5,000-9,000 ft) a.s.l. Source: Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
Ambrym | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Ambrym Vanuatu	Based on pilot observations, analyses of satellite imagery, and information from the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory, the Wellington VAAC reported that on 8 and 10 August ash-and-steam plumes from Ambrym rose to an altitude 6.1 km (20,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W and NW. Source: Wellington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
Batu Tara | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Batu Tara Komba Island	Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 20-23 August ash plumes from Batu Tara drifted 25-65 km NW and W at an altitude of 1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l. Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)
Dukono | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Dukono Halmahera	Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 18-22 August ash plumes from Dukono rose to an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 65-225 km W and NW. Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)
Karymsky | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Karymsky Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)	KVERT reported that during 13-20 August seismic activity from Karymsky was above background levels and suggested that possible ash plumes rose to an altitude of 3 km (9,800 ft) a.s.l. Satellite imagery showed a thermal anomaly over the volcano during 14-15 August and ash plumes that drifted 100 km E. The Aviation Color Code level remained at Orange. Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
Kilauea | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Kilauea Hawaiian Islands (USA)	During 18-24 August HVO reported that activity at Kilauea continued from the summit caldera and the east rift zone. At the summit caldera, the level of the lava-pool surface in the deep pit within the floor of Halema'uma'u crater remained mostly stable; glow from the vent was also visible at night. A plume from the vent mainly drifted SW. At Pu'u 'O'o crater, incandescence emanated from multiple areas on the N floor. At the east rift zone, lava that flowed through the TEB lava-tube system fed occasional surface flows on the pali and on the coastal plain NW and W of Kalapana Gardens, as well as the Puhi-o-Kalaikini ocean entry. Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)
Klyuchevskoy | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Klyuchevskoy Central Kamchatka (Russia)	KVERT reported that 13-20 August seismic activity from Kliuchevskoi was above background levels and lava flowed down the SW flank. Strombolian activity and gas-and-ash emissions were observed during 14-16 August. Cloud cover prevented observations the other days. Satellite imagery analyses showed a large and intense daily thermal anomaly from the volcano and ash plumes that drifted more than 325 km SE. The Aviation Color Code level remained at Orange. Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
Pagan | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Pagan Mariana Islands (USA)	Meteorological clouds mostly prevented satellite image views of Pagan during 13-20 August, although steam-and-gas plumes were seen during clear periods. On 15 August, observers working on a boat reported that a low-level ash eruption produced a diffuse, dark-colored ash-and-steam plume. The plume rose to an altitude of 1.5 km (4,900 ft) a.s.l. and caused minor ashfall on northern Pagan Island and the surrounding ocean. The Aviation Color Code remained at Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Advisory. [Correction: further data analysis showed that the ash emission from 15 August actually occurred on 11 August.] Source: Emergency Management Office of the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands and United States Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program
Popocatepetl | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Popocatepetl Mexico	CENAPRED reported that on 23 August an ash plume from Popocatépetl rose 1 km above the crater. Source: Centro Nacional de Prevencion de Desastres (CENAPRED)
San Cristobal | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
San Cristobal Sierra de los Marrabios	Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Washington VAAC reported that on 20 August an ash plume from San Cristóbal drifted over 35 km N. Source: Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
Sangay | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Sangay Ecuador	Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Washington VAAC reported that on 19 August small ash-and-gas plumes from Sangay drifted about 25 km W and dissipated. Intermittent thermal anomalies were also detected. On 20 August a pilot reported an emission that was not seen in satellite imagery. Source: Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
Sheveluch | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Sheveluch Central Kamchatka (Russia)	KVERT reported that during 13-20 August seismic activity from Shiveluch was above background levels and gas-and-steam plumes were seen during 14-16 August. A daily thermal anomaly was seen in satellite imagery. Based on information from KEMSD, the Tokyo VAAC reported that during 22-23 August eruptions produced plumes that rose to altitudes of 6.4-8.5 km (21,000-28,000 ft) a.s.l. The Aviation Color Code level remained at Orange. Sources: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT), Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
Soufriere Hills | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Soufriere Hills Montserrat	MVO reported most of the rockfalls and pyroclastic flows detected during 13-20 August originated from the W side of the lava dome and traveled W down Gages valley. The pyroclastic flows traveled no longer than 2 km and produced weakly convecting ash clouds. A small lahar descended the Belham valley to the NW on 19 August. The Hazard Level remained at 3. Source: Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO)
Suwanosejima | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Suwanosejima Ryukyu Islands (Japan)	Based on information from JMA, the Tokyo VAAC reported explosions from Suwanose-jima during 21-24 August. Details of possible resulting plumes were not reported. Source: Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)
Ulawun | 18 August-24 August 2010 | Continuing ActivityCite this Report
Ulawun New Britain (Papua New Guinea)	RVO reported that white and gray-to-brown plumes rose no more than a few hundred meters above Ulawun during 12-24 August, and fine ash fell on the NW and W flanks. Seismicity continued to decrease as compared to previous weeks. Source: Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO)

Weekly Reports Archive

Since the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report began in November 2000, there have been 19,996 individual reports over 1,215 weeks (average of 16 per week) on 332 different volcanoes.

Use the dropdowns to choose the year and week for archived Weekly Reports.

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 Criteria & Disclaimers

The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report does not necessarily include all volcanic activity that occurred on Earth during the week. More than a dozen volcanoes globally have displayed more-or-less continuous eruptive activity for decades or longer, and such routine activity is typically not reported here. Moreover, Earth's sea-floor volcanism is seldom reported even though in theory it represents the single most prolific source of erupted material. The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report summarizes volcanic activity that meets one or more of the following criteria:

- A volcano observatory raises or lowers the alert level at the volcano.
- A volcanic ash advisory has been released by a volcanic ash advisory center (VAAC) stating that an ash cloud has been produced from the volcano.
- A verifiable news report of new activity or a change in activity at the volcano has been issued.
- Observers have reported a significant change in volcanic activity. Such activity can include, but is not restricted to, pyroclastic flows, lahars, lava flows, dome collapse, or increased unrest.

Volcanoes are included in the "New Activity/Unrest" section of the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report if the activity occurs after at least 3 months of quiescence. Once a volcano is included in the "New Activity/Unrest" section, updates will remain in that section unless the activity continues for more than 1 month without escalating, after which time updates will be listed in the "Continuing Activity" section. Volcanoes are also included in the "New Activity/Unrest" section if the volcano is undergoing a period of relatively high unrest, or increasing unrest. This is commonly equal to Alert Level Orange on a scale of Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, where Red is the highest alert. Or alert level 3 on a scale of 1-4 or 1-5.

It is important to note that volcanic activity meeting one or more of these criteria may occur during the week, but may not be included in the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report because we did not receive a report.

1. The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is intended to provide timely information about global volcanism on a weekly basis. Consequently, the report is generated rapidly by summarizing volcanic reports from various sources, with little time for fact checking. The accuracy of the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is dependent upon the quality of the volcanic activity reports we receive. Reports published in the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network are cover longer time periods and are more carefully reviewed, although all of the volcanoes discussed in the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report are not necessarily reported in the Bulletin. Because of our emphasis on rapid reporting on the web we have avoided diacritical marks. Reports are updated on the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report web page as they are received, therefore information may be included regarding events that occurred before the current report period.

2. Rapidly developing events lead to coverage that is often fragmentary. Volcanoes, their eruptions, and their plumes and associated atmospheric effects are complex phenomena that may require months to years of data analysis in order to create a comprehensive summary and interpretation of events.

3. Preliminary accounts sometimes contain exaggerations and "false alarms," and accordingly, this report may include some events ultimately found to be erroneous or misleading.

4. Many news agencies do not archive the articles they post on the Internet, and therefore the links to some sources may not be active. To obtain information about the cited articles that are no longer available on the Internet contact the source.

5. USGS Disclaimer Statement for this Website:

Information presented on this website is considered public information and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credit is requested. We strongly recommend that USGS data be acquired directly from a USGS server and not through other sources that may change the data in some way. While USGS makes every effort to provide accurate and complete information, various data such as names, telephone numbers, etc. may change prior to updating. USGS welcomes suggestions on how to improve our home page and correct errors. USGS provides no warranty, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of furnished data.

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URL: https://volcano.si.edu/reports_weekly.cfm

 Acronyms and Abbreviations

a.s.l. - above sea level

AVO - Alaska Volcano Observatory

AVHRR - Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer

CENAPRED - Centro Nacionale de Prevencion de Desastres (México)

CONRED - Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres

COSPEC - Correlation Spectrometer

CVGHM (formerly VSI) - Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation

CVO - Cascades Volcano Observatory (USGS)

GMS - Geostationary Meteorological Satellite

GOES - Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite

GVO - Goma Volcano Observatory

GVP - Global Volcanism Program (Smithsonian Institution)

HVO - Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (USGS)

ICE - Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (Costa Rica)

IG - Instituto Geofísico (Ecuador)

IGNS - Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (New Zealand) - now GNS Science

INETER - Instituto Nicaragüense de Estudios Territoriales (Nicaragua)

INGEMMET - Instituto Geológical Minero y Metalúrgico (Peru)

INGEOMINAS - Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (Colombia)

INGV-CT - Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia - Sezione di Catania (Italy)

INSIVUMEH - Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia e Hidrologia (Guatemala)

IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (France)

JMA - Japanese Meteorological Agency

KEMSD - Kamchatkan Experimental and Methodical Seismilogical Department

KVERT - Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team

M - magnitude

METEOSAT - Meteorological Satellite

MEVO - Mount Erebus Volcano Observatory

MODIS - Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

MVO - Montserrat Volcano Observatory

MWO - Meteorological Watch Office

NEIC - National Earthquake Information Center

NIED - National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (Japan)

NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOTAM - Notice to Airmen

OVDAS - Observatorio Volcanologico de los Andes del Sur (Chile)

OFDA - Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance

ONEMI - Oficina Nacional de Emergencia - Ministerio del Interior (Chile)

OVPDLF - Observatoire Volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise (France)

OVSICORI-UNA - Observatorio Vulcanologico y Sismologico de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional (Costa Rica)

PHIVOLCS - Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philippines)

RSAM - Real-time Seismic Amplitude Measurement

RVO - Rabaul Volcano Observatory

SERNAGEOMIN - Servicio Nacional de Geologia y Mineria (Chile)

SIGMET - Significant Meteorological Information

SNET - Servicio Nacional de Estudios Territoriales (El Salvador)

SVERT - Sakhalin Volcanic Eruption Response Team (Russia)

USAID - US Agency for International Development

USGS - United States Geological Survey

UTC - Coordinated Universal Time

VAAC - Volcanic Ash Advisory Center

VAFTAD - Volcanic Ash Forecast Transport And Dispersion

VDAP - Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (USGS)

VHP - Volcano Hazards Program (USGS)

VRC - Volcano Research Center (Japan)