"Api Siau erupted from the main crater (Kawah Utama) on 6 November. A 1.5-km-high ash column covered villages S of the volcano (Salili, Beong, Kanawong, and Lehi) with 1-3 mm of ash. Detonations were heard from the observation post at Muaralawa, 4.5 km SW of the volcano. Additional detonations were reported throughout the month. Possible precursory signs of this activity included a darkening of the normally whitish quiescent plume beginning on 4 November."

Geological Summary. Karangetang (Api Siau) volcano lies at the northern end of the island of Siau, about 125 km NNE of the NE-most point of Sulawesi. The stratovolcano contains five summit craters along a N-S line. It is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, with more than 40 eruptions recorded since 1675 and many additional small eruptions that were not documented (Neumann van Padang, 1951). Twentieth-century eruptions have included frequent explosive activity sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows and lahars. Lava dome growth has occurred in the summit craters; collapse of lava flow fronts have produced pyroclastic flows.

Information Contacts: T. Casadevall and L. Pardyanto, VSI.