Explosive activity continued at Lokon-Empung during 24 February to 2 March, with 12 explosions producing "white-gray ash columns" that rose 300 m above the volcano. An explosion on 2 March at 2129 was preceded by 204 shallow and 77 deep volcanic earthquakes. During the explosion a "gray-dark ash column" rose 1.5 km above the crater, but incandescent volcanic material remained within the crater. Ash drifted about 14.5 km from the crater to the Tondano area, depositing ~1 mm of ash. Tremor was recorded after the eruption. Lokon-Empung remained at Alert Level 3 (on a scale of 1-4).

Geological Summary. The Lokong-Empung volcanic complex, rising above the plain of Tondano in North Sulawesi, includes four peaks and an active crater. Lokon, the highest peak, has a flat craterless top. The morphologically younger Empung cone 2 km NE has a 400-m-wide, 150-m-deep crater that erupted last in the 18th century. A ridge extending 3 km WNW from Lokon includes the Tatawiran and Tetempangan peaks. All eruptions since 1829 have originated from Tompaluan, a 150 x 250 m crater in the saddle between Lokon and Empung. These eruptions have primarily produced small-to-moderate ash plumes that sometimes damaged croplands and houses, but lava-dome growth and pyroclastic flows have also occurred.

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