An eruption began at Fuego on 4 January during 0200-0300. A probable explosion was followed by Strombolian-type ejections and continuous tremor. No lava flows were visible. Until at least 9 January intermittent mild-to-moderate explosions produced ash clouds that rose 400-600 m above the cone.

Source: US Geological Survey

18 January Update

The following information is based on preliminary reports from various government and news agencies that were received during the ongoing crisis. An eruption began at Nyiragongo on 17 January and, according to news reports, as of 18 January lava flows had destroyed parts of 14 villages and 45 people had been killed. Some reports state that the eruption began at 0500 local time. Other reports state that probably around mid-day, fissures N of the Goma Airport opened and lava flowed from them at an estimated 2-3 m/min (1.2-1.8 km/hour) towards the town of Goma, ~10 km S of the volcano. Eruptions occurred on the volcano's S and E flanks. By late afternoon, at least one flow had advanced into Goma. At this time tremor with 5-second durations accompanied the lava flows about every 10 minutes. Gas stations exploded as the flows advanced through Goma, cutting a reported 35-70 m swath through the town on its way to Lake Kivu. In places, the lava flows were 2 meters high and 30 m wide.

The lava flows damaged 14 villages as they destroyed everything in their paths including, buildings, homes, and the port in Goma. The population of Goma (~400,000 people) and surrounding areas evacuated with some moving W on the road toward the town of Sake, while the majority of the population reportedly moved E towards Rwanda to the town of Gisenyi. According to news reports, United Nations officials reported that 45 people had been killed by the eruption as of 18 January. A Goma resident stated that by the morning of 18 January tremor had died down to "about one every 40 seconds to one an hour." Also, lava continued to flow, but was no longer a threat to the road linking Goma with Rwanda.

Sources: Agence France-Presse (AFP), Reuters, Associated Press, CNN, US Agency for International Development / Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance

The eruption that began at Piton de la Fournaise on 5 January, continued through 15 January. There was a decrease in tremor during 7-11 January, with as few as 8 small earthquakes recorded per day at about 1-km depth. On 12 January tremor increased by a factor of two in comparison to the previous day and earthquakes were recorded about 4 km beneath the Plaine des Osmondes, near the N caldera wall. During the evening of 12 January, a new fissure opened at the base of the rampart in the lower part of the Plaine des Osmondes. Lava flowed from the fissure down into the Grand Brûlé close to the northern rampart. On 14 January lava flowed across the National Highway on its way to the ocean, entering it at 1540. By 15 January tremor was stable and about 100 earthquakes were recorded over a 24-hour period on the N side of the volcano. At 0600 a swarm of low-frequency earthquakes began near Bois-Blanc, a village on the island's E coast, NE of Plaine des Osmondes.

Sources: Clicanoo - Le Journal de l'Ile de la Reunion, Observatoire Volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF)

During 4-11 January, volcanic activity at Karymsky was similar to that of the previous week. Seismicity was above background levels, with 40-80 weak, local earthquakes per day. Several shallow seismic events indicated possible gas-and-ash explosions. Beginning on 10 January at 1200, local earthquakes noticeably increased. The Color Concern Code remained at Yellow ("volcano is restless").

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)

Lava entered the ocean at multiple locations along the Kamoamoa ocean entry, while the amount of lava entering the ocean at the E Kupapaʻu entry was very small. A broad, 1.5- to 2-km-long surface flow was visible on the upper portion of the flow field above the Pūlama pali scarp and surface flows that emanated from the Kamoamoa lava tube system were seen on the coastal flat. Generally, volcanic tremor was moderate-to-strong at Puʻu ʻŌʻō for several days and the ongoing swarm of small long-period earthquakes continued at Kīlauea's summit. Following minor deflation on 11 January, tiltmeters across the volcano showed no significant deformation.

Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)

During 7-13 January lava avalanches continued to travel down the flanks of Merapi, predominately SW toward the upstream portions of the Sat and Bebeng rivers and partly WSW to the Lamat and Senowo rivers. The maximum run-out distance was about 2.5 km. On 7 January a small pyroclastic flow traveled ~2 km to the upstream portion of Bebeng River. Merapi remained at Alert Level 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known as CVGHM)

During the week, Popocatépetl emitted small clouds of steam, gas, and generally minor amounts of ash. In addition, episodes of harmonic tremor were recorded. The highest reported volcanic cloud, from an eruption on 13 January at 1709, reached a height of ~7.3 km and drifted to the ENE. A photograph of Popocatépetl 's summit area taken on 11 January confirmed that the lava dome reported in December 2001 had been partially destroyed.

Sources: Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC), Centro Nacional de Prevencion de Desastres (CENAPRED)

On 11 and 12 January steam plumes were emitted from Ruapehu. This activity was believed to be associated with hydrothermal activity in the crater lake. Prior to the steam emissions, measurements taken on 8 December revealed that the lake water temperature was at 36-38°C and that it had been heating since late November 2001. Evidence of convection was observed at the S-central vent area including minor sulfur slicks, upwelling, and light steaming. Only minor volcanic tremor was recorded at Ruapehu. The volcano remained at Alert Level 1 ("Initial signs of possible volcano unrest.").

Source: GeoNet

During 4-11 January, about 40 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than or equal to 1.7 occurred, and weak, shallow seismic signals (possible collapses and avalanches) were registered. The total number of earthquakes within the volcano's edifice increased during the week. Several small explosions produced steam-and-gas plumes, with the highest reported plume rising ~1 km above the dome on 5 January. Thermal anomalies were visible on satellite imagery, but ash was not. The Color Concern Code remained at Yellow ("volcano is restless").

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)

During 4-11 January volcanic activity remained high at Soufrière Hills. Observations on 10 January revealed that the summit region had increased in volume considerably over the past several weeks and that the lava dome was broad with several spines sticking out from it. The highest spine reached 1,015 m a.s.l. on the 12th. The western side of the zone appeared to be inactive. A large extrusion lobe was active on the upper E flank of the dome, just below the summit. The E flank of the dome was very active, producing numerous rockfalls and pyroclastic flows. On 5 January a series of pyroclastic flows traveled down the Tar River Valley to the sea. This event was accompanied by vigorous venting of ash from the summit, producing a pulsating ash-laden plume that drifted to the W. Seismicity remained at a similar level in comparison to the previous week. SO₂ and HCl emissions were high; 898 and 1,122 metric tons of SO₂ were measured on 1 and 10 January, respectively. Low-level ash emissions occurred throughout the week.

Sources: Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO), Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)

Several eruptions of steam and ash occurred during the week at Tungurahua. An eruption on 8 January produced a steam column with a low ash concentration to a height of 1 km above the crater and deposited small amounts of ash in the towns of Baños, Guaranda, and Chimborazo. The next day a 1-km-high steam-and-ash cloud drifted to the W, depositing small amounts of ash in the vicinity of Juive on the NW flank of the volcano. Heavy rainfall generated lahars on 9 January that traveled down the volcano's W flank.

Sources: Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC), Instituto Geofísico-Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN)