Explosions occurred at Karangetang on 2 and 7 January. At 1258 on 2 January an explosion sent an ash plume to ~500 m above the summit and at 1845 a glowing lava avalanche from the main crater flowed ~50 m to the Naitu River. A larger explosion on 7 January sent an ash plume to ~1,500 m above the summit and incandescent material reached a height of 200 m. Shocks from ash explosions were felt on the W side of the volcano in Pahe village, Lehi, Mini, and Kinali. "Glowing lava" flowed out to 1,000 m from the main crater down the Tanitu River. A minor explosion on 10 January produced ash that fell back into the crater. The volcano remained at Alert Level 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

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.

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