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Didicas

Photo of this volcano
  • Country
  • Primary Volcano Type
  • Last Known Eruption
  •  
  • 19.077°N
  • 122.202°E

  • 228 m
    748 ft

  • 274020
  • Latitude
  • Longitude

  • Summit
    Elevation

  • Volcano
    Number

Most Recent Bulletin Report: January 1978 (BVE 18)

Ashfall observed in early January 1978 over the entire island

[The following report of observations during 6-9 January 1978 was published in the Bulletin of Volcanic Eruptions (1980). "Aerial observation conducted over Didicas volcano revealed that the whole volcano island was covered fresh volcanic ashes, however, no lava extrusion and usual agitation of the sea water in the immediate vicinity was noticed. Observation also disclosed that the three eruptive craters of the volcano located in the NNE portion of the island have no steaming activity nor bubbling activity."]

Reference. Volcanological Society of Japan, 1980, Bulletin of volcanic eruptions no. 18: Annual report of the world volcanic eruptions in 1978: International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, IUGG, p. 27.

Information Contacts: G.A. Andal, Commission on Volcanology, Quezon, Philippines.

The Global Volcanism Program has no Weekly Reports available for Didicas.

Bulletin Reports - Index

Reports are organized chronologically and indexed below by Month/Year (Publication Volume:Number), and include a one-line summary. Click on the index link or scroll down to read the reports.

03/1969 (CSLP 29-69) New crater filled with boiling water; ashfall on island

04/1969 (CSLP 29-69) Ashfall near the crater, rock ejections and steaming; three deaths

01/1978 (BVE 18) Ashfall observed in early January 1978 over the entire island




Information is preliminary and subject to change. All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


March 1969 (CSLP 29-69)

New crater filled with boiling water; ashfall on island

Card 0476 (28 March 1969) New crater filled with boiling water; ashfall on island

"Air reconaissance Didicas Volcano on Babuyan Island 27 March reported eruption. Present activity at northern portion of island formed crater measuring 20 m at bottom, filled with muddy boiling water. Steam clouds without force rising few hundred feet above crater rim. Northern half of island covered by thick whitish-gray ash which also discolors sea fronting eruption site. Commission on Volcanology believes further ash eruption likely to be followed by lava extrusion."

Information Contacts: American Embassy, Manila, Philippines.


April 1969 (CSLP 29-69)

Ashfall near the crater, rock ejections and steaming; three deaths

Card 0484 (01 April 1969) Three persons killed while fishing near the volcano

Three persons were swallowed up while fishing near San Vicente, Sta. Ana, Cagayan, yesterday when Didicas Volcano at Didicas Island erupted, according to reports reaching the Commission on Volcanology in Manila from the Cagayan PC.

Arturo Alcaraz, chief volcanologist at the Commission on Volcanology, said that Didicas Volcano, which lies 100 km N of Aparri in Cagayan (figure 1), was a submarine volcano until 1952 when it erupted and formed an island one mile and a half in diameter and about 800 feet high above sea level.

Figure (see Caption) Figure 1. Sketch map showing the location of Didicas in the Babuyan Islands north of Luzon, Philippines.

Card 0487 (03 April 1969) Ashfall evident around active crater; white steam rising

Commission on Volcanology report after air reconaissance on 28 March, Didicas indicates activity limited to northern portion of island. No ash ejection observed but recent ash falls evident around active crater. White steam rising. Commission on Volcanology expects continued intermittent ash eruption with possible future lava extrusion. Present activity constitutes no threat to inhabitants.

Card 0490 (08 April 1969) Minor fumarolic activity and steaming

"COMVOL air reconnaissance . . . indicated . . . Didicas activity waned from last week's eruption. Newly formed crater exhibiting small fumarolic activity at single point on inner slope. Steaming detected from higher area close to central portion volcano indicating possible activity shift to island's center."

Card 0506 (17 April 1969) Overflight on 29 March reveals steam rising from crater

Activity . . . has been limited to ash and rock ejection. The volcano's activity is still in its initial stage and a major eruption is possible. Nazario Vasquez made this observation on board this Herald plane which flew over the volcano at 0815 [on 29 March].

The spasmic ejections consisted of rocks which the volcano emits through a vent opened during the earlier stages of its present activity. Signs that the volcano was building up pressure were manifested by continued rise and extrusion of ashes and steam from a crater on the northern side of the islet. If the activity of the volcano continues, Nazario said, there would probably follow an extrusion of lava.

Commission of Volcanology records showed Didicas has erupted violently in the past. "Spines" have formed some 14 nautical miles off Camiguin Island north of Cagayan about 1856. These spines were above-the-sea-level expressions of a submarine volcano. Subsequent eruptions formed these rocks into an islet now known as Didicas. A volcano eruption in 1952 caused the formation of an islet 800 feet high and about a mile in diameter.

During the air reconnaissance survey, white steam was observed rising from the mouth of the crater in the northern portion. Nazario said there was a possibility of an undersea crater which could give vent to steam and lava.

Card 0514 (24 April 1969) Thick smoke observed on 31 March

The following message from the Calayan Weather Station was relayed by the Weather Bureau. "Didicas volcano seen emitting thick smoke yesterday (31 March) visible eastern part Calayan. People worried. Please advise immediately -Signed Singson."

The following evalution of the Didicas activity was furnished the Weather Bureau for transmittal to Calayan. "Commission on Volcanology believes Didicas activity to continue for some time yet. Further ash eruptions expected, but will not adversely affect Calayan or nearby islands. Allay people's fear also concerning tidal waves. Their occurrence considered only a remote possibility and even then their effects likely will be negligible to settlements of Babuyan Islands and northern Luzon."

Card 0515 (24 April 1969) Activity has waned from previous week

The current eruption of Didicas Volcano was observed to have waned from that of last week's recon findings. The activity in the newly formed explosion crater at the northern end of the island volcano has quited down to just small fumarolic activity at a point on its inner slope. However, steaming was detected from a higher area close to the central portion of the volcano. This may indicate that the point of activity can be shifting towards the center of the island.

Information Contacts:
Card 0484 (01 April 1969)Manila Times, Manila, Philippines (27 March 1969).
Card 0487 (03 April 1969)American Embassy, Manila, Philippines.
Card 0490 (08 April 1969)American Embassy, Manila, Philippines.
Card 0506 (17 April 1969)Rogelio Razon, The Philippines Herald, Manila, Philippines (29 March 1969).
Card 0514 (24 April 1969)Arturo Alcaraz, Commission on Volcanology, Manila, Philippines.
Card 0515 (24 April 1969)Arturo Alcaraz, Commission on Volcanology, Manila, Philippines.


January 1978 (BVE 18)

Ashfall observed in early January 1978 over the entire island

[The following report of observations during 6-9 January 1978 was published in the Bulletin of Volcanic Eruptions (1980). "Aerial observation conducted over Didicas volcano revealed that the whole volcano island was covered fresh volcanic ashes, however, no lava extrusion and usual agitation of the sea water in the immediate vicinity was noticed. Observation also disclosed that the three eruptive craters of the volcano located in the NNE portion of the island have no steaming activity nor bubbling activity."]

Reference. Volcanological Society of Japan, 1980, Bulletin of volcanic eruptions no. 18: Annual report of the world volcanic eruptions in 1978: International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, IUGG, p. 27.

Information Contacts: G.A. Andal, Commission on Volcanology, Quezon, Philippines.

This compilation of synonyms and subsidiary features may not be comprehensive. Features are organized into four major categories: Cones, Craters, Domes, and Thermal Features. Synonyms of features appear indented below the primary name. In some cases additional feature type, elevation, or location details are provided.

Eruptive History

There is data available for 5 confirmed Holocene eruptive periods.

1978 Jan 6 - 1978 Jan 9 Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode NNE side
1978 Jan 6 - 1978 Jan 9 Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 4 Events for Episode 1 at NNE side

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion
   - - - -    - - - - Ash
   - - - -    - - - - Crater Parasitic.
1978 Jan 6    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1969 Mar 21 - 1969 Jun 16 ± 15 days Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode North side
1969 Mar 21 - 1969 Jun 16 ± 15 days Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 5 Events for Episode 1 at North side

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity weak or small
   - - - -    - - - - Ash
   - - - -    - - - - Tsunami
1969 Mar 21    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)
1969 Mar 26    - - - - Fatalities

1952 Mar 16 (in or before) - 1953 Jul 2 (?) ± 182 days Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode
1952 Mar 16 (in or before) - 1953 Jul 2 (?) ± 182 days Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 8 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Explosion
   - - - -    - - - - Lava flow
   - - - -    - - - - Lava dome
   - - - -    - - - - Tephra
   - - - -    - - - - Ash
   - - - -    - - - - Blocks
   - - - -    - - - - Island
1952 Mar 16
(in or before)
   - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1900 Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 0 (?)

Episode 1 | Eruption Episode
1900 - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava dome
1900    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

1856 Sep 30 ± 30 days - 1860 Oct (?) Confirmed Eruption Max VEI: 2

Episode 1 | Submarine Episode
1856 Sep 30 ± 30 days - 1860 Oct (?) Evidence from Observations: Reported
 An eruption began in September or October 1856. Activity built an island that was later eroded away.

List of 5 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Lava dome
   - - - -    - - - - Lava spine
   - - - -    - - - - Island ephemeral
1856 Sep 30 ± 30 days    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)
1860    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)

[ 1773 Oct ] Uncertain Eruption

Episode 1 | Uncertain Episode
1773 Oct - Unknown Evidence from Observations: Reported
 Neumann van Padang (1953, citing various older sources) listed a possible submarine eruption in October 1773, along with a similar separate 1773 eruption at a location near Ibugos Island, 140 km NNW. However, Maso (1927) listed an October 1773 earthquake described as "violent" felt in W Luzon, Zambales, Cavite, and Bataan provinces. PHIVOLCS (2004) listed a phreatic explosion in October 1773.

List of 2 Events for Episode 1

Start Date End Date Event Type Event Remarks
   - - - -    - - - - Phreatic activity
1773 Oct    - - - - VEI (Explosivity Index)
Deformation History

There is no Deformation History data available for Didicas.

Emission History

There is no Emissions History data available for Didicas.

GVP Map Holdings

The maps shown below have been scanned from the GVP map archives and include the volcano on this page. Clicking on the small images will load the full 300 dpi map. Very small-scale maps (such as world maps) are not included. The maps database originated over 30 years ago, but was only recently updated and connected to our main database. We welcome users to tell us if they see incorrect information or other problems with the maps; please use the Contact GVP link at the bottom of the page to send us email.

Smithsonian Sample Collections Database

There are no samples for Didicas in the Smithsonian's NMNH Department of Mineral Sciences Rock and Ore collection.

External Sites