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Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

Weekly Volcanic Activity Map

The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is a cooperative project between the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program. Updated by 2300 UTC every Wednesday and averaging 16 reported volcanoes, this is not a comprehensive list of all eruptions this week, but rather a summary of activity that meet criteria discussed in the "Criteria and Disclaimers" section below.

Volcanic activity reported here is preliminary and subject to change. Carefully reviewed, detailed narratives over longer time periods are published as reports of the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network available through volcano profile pages.

Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for the week of 4 April-10 April 2012
Name Country Volcanic Province Eruption Start Date Report Status
Cleveland United States Aleutian Ridge Volcanic Arc New
Fuego Guatemala Central America Volcanic Arc 2002 Jan 4 New
Nevado del Ruiz Colombia Northern Andean Volcanic Arc 2014 Nov 18 New
Soufriere Hills United Kingdom Lesser Antilles Volcanic Arc New
Karymsky Russia Eastern Kamchatka Volcanic Arc 2024 Jun 20 Continuing
Kilauea United States Hawaiian-Emperor Hotspot Volcano Group Continuing
Pagan United States Mariana Volcanic Arc Continuing
Puyehue-Cordon Caulle Chile Southern Andean Volcanic Arc Continuing
Ranakah Indonesia Sunda Volcanic Arc Continuing
Santa Maria Guatemala Central America Volcanic Arc 1922 Jun 22 Continuing
Sheveluch Russia Eastern Kamchatka Volcanic Arc 1999 Aug 15 Continuing
Tambora Indonesia Sunda Volcanic Arc Continuing
Tungurahua Ecuador Northern Andean Volcanic Arc Continuing
All times are local unless otherwise stated.
Weekly Reports Archive

Since the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report began in November 2000, there have been 20,553 individual reports over 1,240 weeks (average of 17 per week) on 338 different volcanoes.

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Adams Cotopaxi Iliwerung Llaima Popocatepetl Sumisujima
Agung Cuicocha Inielika Lokon-Empung Purace Sundoro
Ahyi Cumbal Ioto Lonquimay Puyehue-Cordon Caulle Suoh
Aira Dabbahu Irazu Lopevi Rabaul Suretamatai
Akan Davidof Iwatesan Machin Raikoke Suwanosejima
Alaid Dempo Iya Makushin Ranakah Taal
Alu-Dalafilla Descabezado Grande Izu-Torishima Maly Semyachik Raoul Island Tair, Jebel at
Ambae Dieng Volcanic Complex Jackson Segment Manam Rasshua Takawangha
Ambang Dukono Kaba Manda Hararo Raung Talang
Ambrym East Epi Kadovar Marapi Redoubt Tambora
Anatahan Ebeko Kaitoku Seamount Maroa Reventador Tanaga
Aniakchak Ebulobo Kama'ehuakanaloa Martin Reykjanes Tandikat-Singgalang
Antillanca Volcanic Complex Edgecumbe Kambalny Masaya Rincon de la Vieja Tangkoko-Duasudara
Antuco Egon Kanaga Matthew Island Rinjani Tangkuban Parahu
Apoyeque Ekarma Kanlaon Maule, Laguna del Ritter Island Tara, Batu
Arenal Eldey Karangetang Mauna Loa Rotorua Ta'u
Asamayama Erebus Karkar Mayon Ruang Taupo
Askja Erta Ale Karthala McDonald Islands Ruapehu Telica
Asosan Etna Karymsky Melebingoy Ruby Tenerife
Atka Volcanic Complex Etorofu-Yakeyama [Grozny Group] Kasatochi Melimoyu Ruiz, Nevado del Tengger Caldera
Augustine Eyjafjallajokull Katla Merapi Sabancaya Three Sisters
Avachinsky Fagradalsfjall Katmai Midagahara Sakar Tinakula
Awu Fernandina Kavachi Misti, El Salak Tofua
Axial Seamount Fogo Kelimutu Miyakejima San Cristobal Tokachidake
Azul, Cerro Fonualei Kelud Momotombo San Miguel Tolbachik
Azumayama Fournaise, Piton de la Kerinci Monowai San Vicente Toliman
Bagana Fourpeaked Ketoi Montagu Island Sangay Tongariro
Balbi Fuego Kharimkotan Moyorodake [Medvezhia] Sangeang Api Trident
Bamus Fujisan Kick 'em Jenny Mutnovsky Santa Ana Tungurahua
Banda Api Fukutoku-Oka-no-Ba Kie Besi Myojinsho Santa Maria Turrialba
Bardarbunga Galeras Kikai Nabro Sao Jorge Ubinas
Barren Island Galunggung Kilauea Negra, Sierra Sarigan Ugashik-Peulik
Batur Gamalama Kirishimayama Negro, Cerro Sarychev Peak Ukinrek Maars
Bezymianny Gamkonora Kita-Ioto Nightingale Island Saunders Ulawun
Bogoslof Gareloi Kizimen Nishinoshima Savo Unnamed
Brava Gaua Klyuchevskoy Nisyros Semeru Unnamed
Bristol Island Gorely Kolokol Group Novarupta Semisopochnoi Veniaminof
Bulusan Great Sitkin Koryaksky NW Rota-1 Seulawah Agam Villarrica
Calbuco Grimsvotn Krakatau Nyamulagira Sheveluch Vulcano
Callaqui Guagua Pichincha Krummel-Garbuna-Welcker Nyiragongo Shishaldin West Mata
Cameroon Guallatiri Krysuvik-Trolladyngja Ofu-Olosega Simbo Westdahl
Campi Flegrei Guntur Kuchinoerabujima Okataina Sinabung Whakaari/White Island
Campi Flegrei del Mar di Sicilia Hachijojima Kurikomayama Okmok Sinarka Witori
Cayambe Hakoneyama Kusatsu-Shiranesan Ontakesan Siple Wolf
Chachadake [Tiatia] Heard Kverkfjoll Oraefajokull Sirung Wrangell
Chaiten Hekla La Palma Osorno Slamet Yakedake
Chiginagak Helgrindur Lamington Pacaya Snaefellsjokull Yasur
Chikurachki Hierro Lamongan Pagan Soputan Yellowstone
Chiles-Cerro Negro Hokkaido-Komagatake Langila Palena Volcanic Group Sorikmarapi Yufu-Tsurumi
Chillan, Nevados de Home Reef Lanin Paluweh Sotara Zaozan [Zaosan]
Chirinkotan Hood Lascar Panarea Soufriere Hills Zavodovski
Chirpoi Huaynaputina Late Papandayan Soufriere St. Vincent Zhupanovsky
Ciremai Hudson, Cerro Lateiki Pavlof South Sarigan Seamount Zubair Group
Cleveland Huila, Nevado del Lengai, Ol Doinyo Pelee Spurr
Colima Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Leroboleng Peuet Sague St. Helens
Colo Ibu Lewotobi Pinatubo Stromboli
Concepcion Ijen Lewotolok Planchon-Peteroa Sulu Range
Copahue Iliamna Little Sitkin Poas Sumbing
 News Feeds and Google Placemarks


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The RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed is identical to the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report minus some features including the header information (latitude and longitude and summit elevation), the Geologic Summary, and a link to the volcano's page from the Global Volcanism Program. At the end of each report is a list of the sources used. Each volcano report includes a link from the volcano's name back to the more complete information in the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report on the Smithsonian website. This feature was first made available on 5 March 2008.



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A Google Earth network link for the Weekly Volcanic Activity Report can be loaded into the free Google Earth software, and in turn will load placemarks for volcanoes in the current weekly report. Placemark balloons include the volcano name, report date, report text, sources, and links back to the GVP volcano profile page and to the complete Weekly Report for that week. This feature was first made available on 1 April 2009.

 Criteria & Disclaimers

Criteria



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.

Disclaimers



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.

Some of the documents on this server may contain live references (or pointers) to information created and maintained by other organizations. Please note that USGS does not control and cannot guarantee the relevance, timeliness, or accuracy of these outside materials.

For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, this government computer system employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on this website are strictly prohibited and may be punishable under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act. Information may also be used for authorized law enforcement investigations. (Last modified September 21, 1999.)

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA, USA
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)

Report for Cleveland
AVO reported that a small explosion from Cleveland was detected at 0112 on 4 April by distant seismic stations and infrasound arrays. Weather conditions prevented the detection of a possible eruption cloud in satellite images or by visual observation of the summit. Observations the next day revealed a thermal anomaly and that the 70-m-diameter lava dome had been destroyed by the explosion. This was the third lava dome that was erupted and subsequently destroyed by explosive events since the eruption began in July 2011.

On 6 April two short-duration explosions occurred at about 1635 and 2126. The resulting eruption clouds were ash poor and did not rise above 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. Elevated surface temperatures were observed using infrared satellite images near the times of the explosions. Satellite observations were obscured by clouds during 8-10 April. No seismic information was available because Cleveland does not have a real-time seismic network.
Source: US Geological Survey Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)
Report for Fuego
INSIVUMEH reported that during 9-10 April explosions from Fuego produced ash plumes that rose 100-900 m above the crater and drifted 10-15 km E and SE. Explosions produced shock waves detected within 8 km of the volcano. Avalanches descended the flanks.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH)
Report for Nevado del Ruiz
According to INGEOMINAS, the Observatorio Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported that during 4-10 April seismicity at Nevado del Ruiz fluctuated but remained elevated. Sulfur dioxide emissions also remained high; occasionally a sulfur odor was reported in Manizales, about 25 km NW. On 5 April a volcano-tectonic earthquake, M 2.8, occurred below Arenas crater at a depth of 1 km, and was the highest magnitude earthquake recorded since February. During 4-6 April gas-and-steam plumes drifted NW. Gas-and-steam plumes rose 3 km above the crater on 7 April and 1.5 km above the crater on 10 April; the plumes drifted SE both days. The Alert Level remained at II (Orange; "eruption likely within days or weeks").
Source: Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC)
Report for Soufriere Hills
MVO reported that during 30 March-6 April activity at the Soufrière Hills lava dome was generally at a low level and no ash-venting episodes had been detected since 23 March. The average sulfur dioxide emission rate measured during the week was 529 tonnes per day with a minimum of 200 and a maximum of 1,033. Scientists aboard a helicopter overflight on 4 April observed a new vent which had formed on 23 March; it was 30-50 m across and on the W side of the crater floor. The Hazard Level remained at 2.
Source: Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO)
Report for Karymsky
KVERT reported that during 30 March-6 April moderate seismic activity from Karymsky continued to be detected, and indicated that possible ash plumes rose to an altitude of 2.5 km (8,200 ft) a.s.l. Satellite imagery showed a thermal anomaly on the volcano on 29 March. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.
Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
Report for Kilauea
During 4-10 April HVO reported that the circulating lava lake periodically rose and fell in the deep pit within Kilauea's Halema'uma'u Crater. Almost daily measurements indicated that the gas plume from the vent continued to deposit variable amounts of ash, and occasionally fresh spatter, nearby. Incandescence was visible from both a lava pond in a small pit on the E edge and a small spatter cone on the SE edge of the Pu'u 'O'o crater floor, and on the upper part of the lava-tube system on the E flank. Lava flows continued to advance down the pali and across the coastal plain, reaching about 1.6 km from the coast. During 6-9 April a small lava flow issued three times from a vent on the SE edge of the Pu'u 'O'o crater floor. The first two flows advanced N almost the entire width of the floor.
Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)
Report for Pagan
Clear-to-partly-cloudy satellite images of Pagan showed a gas-and-steam plume extending downwind from the summit vent during 30 March-6 April. The Aviation Color Code remained at Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Advisory. According to the Washington VAAC a pilot observed a plume containing a small amount of ash that rose to an altitude below 1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l. on 7 April. Satellite imagery showed a gas-and-steam plume, with possible ash content, drifting 204 km SSW.
Sources: Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC), Emergency Management Office of the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands and United States Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program
Report for Puyehue-Cordon Caulle
OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that during 9-10 April satellite and web camera observations of the Cordón Caulle rift zone, part of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex, showed plumes that rose no higher than 450 m above the crater. Incandescence from the crater was also observed. The Alert Level remained at Orange.
Source: Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN)
Report for Ranakah
CVGHM reported that during January-8 April white plumes rose 10-15 m above the Anak Ranakah lava dome and seismicity decreased. On 9 April the Alert Level was lowered to 1 (on a scale of 1-4).
Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known as CVGHM)
Report for Santa Maria
Based on analyses of satellite imagery and reports from INSIVUMEH, the Washington VAAC reported that on 7 April multiple ash clouds from explosions at Santa María drifted 37 km SW and 11 km S. INSIVUMEH reported that during 8-10 April explosions from Caliente dome generated ash plumes that rose 600-900 m above the dome and drifted 15 km S and SW. Lava flows continued to produce avalanches that descended the flanks.
Sources: Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC), Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH)
Report for Sheveluch
KVERT reported that explosive activity at Shiveluch continued during 29 March-6 April. Ground-based observers and satellite imagery indicated that a viscous lava flow continued to effuse in the crater formed during a 2010 eruption. Visual observations revealed that ash plumes rose to an altitude of 4 km (13,100 ft) a.s.l. on 30 March and 3 April. Seismic data indicated that ash plumes potentially rose to an altitude of 6.6 km (21,600 ft) a.s.l. every day. Satellite imagery showed a weak thermal anomaly on the lava dome during 29-31 March and 3 April, and ash plumes that drifted 114 km W, E, and NE during 29-30 March and 3 April. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.
Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
Report for Tambora
CVGHM reported that during January-8 April plumes did not rise from Tambora, no changes were observed around the caldera, and seismicity decreased. On 9 April the Alert Level was lowered to 1 (on a scale of 1-4).
Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known as CVGHM)
Report for Tungurahua
IG reported that during 4-8 April visual observations of Tungurahua were limited due to cloud cover. During 9-10 April ash-and-steam plumes rose 2-3 km above the crater and drifted from NE to SE. Explosions were heard in areas near the volcano. Ashfall was reported in Capil, Palictahua, and Los Toctes on 9 April. Lahars descended the W flank on 10 April and caused the road between Baños and Penipe to close.
Source: Instituto Geofísico-Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN)