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UPDATED 5-6-08

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A plume of ashes and smoke rises from the Chaiten volcano some 1,200 km south from Santiago, Chile on May 2, 2008. Up to now, 1,200 people were evacuated from the area. The eruption caused a red alert in neighbouring regions of Chile and Argentina. (AFP,Christian Brown) This isn't snow! Eruption Leaves Chilean Town Deserted   By EDUARDO GALLARDO, AP Posted: 2008-05-03 19:39:46 Filed Under: World News   SANTIAGO, Chile (May 3, 2008) - The Chaiten volcano spewed light ash on a nearly deserted village Saturday, two days after its first eruption in thousands of years. No more than 45 of Chaiten's 4,500 residents remained in what looked like a ghost town, its streets, houses, cars and trees draped with a thick layer of light-colored ash, Interior Minister Edmundo Perez said. Those who decided to stay after Thursday's eruption could be seen wearing face masks outdoors in Chaiten, 750 miles south of the capital, Santiago. Street lights were illuminated under darkened skies. Just six miles away, the volcano belched fat smoke plumes that at times rose as high as 12 miles into the air, the government's Emergency Bureau said. Winds carried the ash to other towns in the region and across the Andes mountains to Argentina, where two airlines suspended flights due to poor visibility. The Chaiten volcano has "probably been dormant for about 9,000 or 10,000 years but that's not unusual," said Charles Stern, a professor of volcanology at the University of Colorado who specializes in Andes volcanoes. Authorities evacuated most of Chaiten's residents to schools and churches in the nearby cities of Puerto Montt and Castro. "It is very difficult to predict when the people will be able to return," Perez said. "This situation can last for days, or weeks - or longer." Some residents were pessimistic. "This could be the end of our town," community leader Leonardo Maureira told Radio Cooperativa of Santiago. "We have worked an entire life here and now all we could do was to put a few things in a bag and depart, leaving everything behind." Others decided to stay. "We have to protect our investment," said Nelson Alderete, a small shopkeeper, as he watched his wife and small daughter board a boat to Puerto Montt. "But if things get really ugly, I will leave." Chaiten Mayor Jose Fritis said the town will not die. "This has been a historic catastrophe for us, but we will rebuild from the ashes," he said.   Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.

Vog forces closure of Volcano National Park By Kevin Dayton Advertiser Staff Writer   HILO, Hawai'i — Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park closed this morning after park officials feared the combined emissions from Pu'u O'o and Halema'uma'u crater would be significant hazards as the wind shifts to the west at about noon today, said Big Island Mayor Harry Kim. That evacuation included the Volcano House hotel within the park, with guests at the hotel moved to the Naniloa Volcanoes Resort in Hilo, Kim said. He said staffing at the park would be limited to required personnel only. Civil defense officials at 9 p.m. last night announced voluntary evacuations for five communities northeast of Halema'uma'u crater as sulfur dioxide fumes in the area are expected to intensify today. The voluntary evacuation advisory covered the Mauna Loa Estates, Ohia Estates and Volcano Golf Course subdivisions as well as the Volcano Village and Keauhou Ranch areas. As of this morning, no one had showed up at the emergency shelters set up in Hilo. Kim said people living in older and established communities often prefer to stay with friends or family during evacuations. State health officials warned that computer models of the weather patterns and volcanic emissions suggest that air quality in the Volcano Village area could reach the highest "purple" level today under the color coded chart used to warn the public of the short-term air quality risks. When conditions for an area are designated as purple, all people are advised to avoid outdoor activity, and people with respiratory problem are advised to leave the area. Hilo and many Puna residents awoke this morning to find their homes enveloped in a thick layer of vog, with particularly high spikes in sulfur dioxide recorded in the Fern Forest subdivision and at the Volcano Village Fire Station. Hilo and Lower Puna residents blanketed with vog this morning saw some relief as winds pushed some of the emissions away from those areas. As the winds are projected to shift to the west, that is likely to continue to clear the air on the Windward side of the island. Lt. Col. Trey Johnson, commander of the 93rd Civil Support Team of the Hawai'i National Guard, said the hazard model being used to project the potential threat suggests the worst effects will shift west of the crater this afternoon as the wind shifts. That breeze is expected to push a relatively narrow plume of sulfur dioxide at levels more than double the federal ambient air quality standards out to about 30 miles west of Halema'uma'u crater. Although that could have a dramatic effect on the communities around the volcano, Kim said, it is not expected to have a huge impact on the more heavily populated North Kona communities, Kim said. "Fortunately, there's nothing between there and Kona as far as populated areas," said Big Island Mayor Harry Kim. "We have a great distance factor of no people." The model suggests the sulfur dioxide will dissipate somewhat before it reaches that heavily populated Kailua, Kona area, Johnson said. Inside Volcanoes Park, officials evacuated campers from campgrounds, the Kilauea Military Camp and the Volcano House hotel. The Volcano House has 42 guest rooms. There are 10 cabins, which have beds and showers, that were also evacuated at Namakani Paio campground, said park spokesman Michael Larson. The park campgrounds are free and open to the public on a first come-first-served basis. "The levels of sulfur dioxide are higher then they've ever been here," Larson said. "They're way above the red level, extremely unhealthy. "The park will reopen when the tradewinds come back," he said. Visibility is poor on the Chain of Craters Road, he said. All 180 park service employees, except for emergency responders, also have been evacuated. Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com.

This video frame released by the Colombian Institute of Geology and Mining, INGEOMINAS, shows the Galeras volcano erupting in Pasto, southern Colombia, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008. The volcano spread ashes for kilometers prompting an evacuation order for thousands, in the most serious eruption of the Galeras since its reactivation in 1989. (AP 8,000 Flee Colombian Volcano Eruption Posted: 2008-01-18 11:31:32 Filed Under: Natural Disaster, World News BOGOTA, Colombia (Jan. 18) - A volcano erupted violently in southwestern Colombia Thursday, spewing ash miles into the sky and prompting the evacuation of several thousand people living nearby.   There were no immediate reports of injuries or serious property damage after the 14,110-foot Galeras volcano began erupting about 8 p.m. About 8,000 people live in areas near the volcano where Pasto's mayor ordered an evacuation but "most of the city is not in danger," Fernando Gil, director of Colombia's Seismological Network, told The Associated Press by phone. "It's still erupting," Gil said more than two hours after its initial eruption. Witness said it lit up the night sky. Gil estimated that the ash cloud reached five miles into the air. He called it the most serious eruption of Galeras since the volcano reactivated in 1989. "Depending on the wind direction it's going to spread ashes over the entire area." "Most of (Galeras') eruptions are violent and short," he noted. He said Thursday's eruption had produced some lava flows that did not extend far from the volcano's crater. A 1993 eruption of the volcano, near the border with Ecuador, killed nine people, including five scientists who had descended into the crater to sample gases. In November 2005, the volcano spewed ash that fell about 30 miles away.   2008-01-18 09:24:19

Volcano Poised for 'Great Eruption'   By GONZALO SOLANO, AP Posted: 2008-01-10 22:31:54 Filed Under: Science News, World News QUITO, Ecuador (Jan. 9) - Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano is poised for a major eruption, a volcanologist said Wednesday. Authorities last week evacuated 10 villages from its western slopes as a precaution. Patricia Mothes, a U.S. expert on volcanoes, said the 16,575-foot volcano, located 80 miles southeast of Quito, "is preparing to generate, in days or weeks, a great eruption."   She said that could mean pyroclastic flows - blasts of volcanic material "that descend at high speeds and burn everything in their way." Tungurahua, which has been active since 1999, has been freeing a high level of energy since Dec. 22, Mothes told The Associated Press by telephone. "We have indications that there may be important volumes of magma which would be liberated in an eruption," she said. Juan Salazar, the mayor of Penipe, one of 10 villages evacuated last week from the western slopes of Tungurahua, said 3,000 acres of crops and pasture have been damaged by ash from the volcano. There have been no lava flows since the volcano began spitting out ash in December, he said. Villagers return by day to tend to their crops and farm animals but stay in temporary shelters outside the danger zone at night. Salazar said the government has decided to provide new houses for 286 families that cannot return to their homes at night. He said the families would receive the keys to the houses on Feb. 9 along with small plots for growing crops. Tungurahua erupted in July and August of 2006, causing at least four deaths. The eruptions forced the evacuation of thousands of villagers and damaged thousands of acres of crops buried under tons of ashes and lava flows.

ANAK KRAKATUA  (Child of Krakatua) Indonesia's Anak Krakatau -- or "Child of Krakatau," volcano is shown erupting Thursday, sending up clouds of hot gasses, rocks and lava. There have been no deaths associated with the eruptions that began earlier this month, but thousands of villagers have been evacuated from the area. Anak Krakatau sends up an ash cloud on Saturday.   Anak Krakatau rose from the sea decades ago. Here is a late 1920s view of a mostly underwater volcanic eruption that led to its birth. Source: AP Indonesian Volcano Blasts Back to Life Reuters Posted: 2007-11-11 10:10:40 Filed Under: Science News, World News ANAK KRAKATAU, Indonesia (Nov. 11, 2007) - Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano lets out a massive roar as it blasts a gigantic cloud of smoke and flaming red rocks hundreds of meters into the night sky. A few hours later, a river of lava and stones glowing like embers glide down the slopes of Mount Anak Krakatau as the muted light of the rising sun tries to break through thick clouds settled above the mountain. The volcano, whose name means "Child of Krakatau," formed in the Sunda Strait close to Java island after Mount Krakatau's legendary eruption in 1883. It rumbled to life about two weeks ago and since then has been dazzling scientists and visitors with its amazing pyrotechnics. Scientists monitoring the volcano say Anak Krakatau is not especially dangerous and will continue to rumble for some time, but warn people to stay out of a 1.9 miles zone around the mountain. "We are a little worried sometimes when we heard the big boom and we see rocks that fall from, I don't know, half kilometer from the hole," Chad Bouchard, one of a group of eight tourists who spent the night in a boat in the ocean to watch the volcano. "Sometimes we see the splash inside the ocean. That's a little scary but no, I think it might be stupid but I feel safe." Devastating Disaster Anak Krakatau, which lies 26 miles from the nearest observation post in Serang on the westernmost edge of Java, gradually formed after the volcanic island of Krakatau blew up in a massive eruption in 1883, triggering tsunamis and killing more than 36,000 people. Ashes from that eruption, one of the most devastating natural disasters in recorded history, were carried by upper level winds as far away as New York City. Krakatau, one of dozens of volcanoes in the sprawling Indonesian archipelago, last erupted in 1988, but its eruptions have never approached the ferocity of its parent. Child of Krakatau is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," but authorities have not yet raised the alert level to the highest which would require the evacuation of people around the volcano. A vulcanologist monitoring Anak Krakatau said the volcano was likely to rumble and roar for some time. "It is still at the third level of alert. It is safe and there aren't any problems. There were approximately one hundred explosions yesterday," Saut Simatupang, head of volcano observation in Bandung, told Reuters. "If the energy is the same as this, it is more likely it will stay at this level for quite some time as the tremors are frequent. Today only, there have been one hundred." Visitors who had their morning coffee in a boat in the shadow of the volcano in the Sunda Strait's choppy waters about a one-and-a-half-hour ride from the mainland said they felt safe. "It's spectacular, it's just amazing to be here," said Patricia Anderton, a tourist from New Haven in the United states. "I feel incredibly lucky to be able to see it." Additional reporting by Ade Mardiyati in Jakarta, Writing by Sugita Kaytal note: there are 70 volcanos on this series of islands.   Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

Kelud volcanic lake is one of the most active and most dangerous stratovolcano in Indonesia. Many lives were claimed by Kelud eruptions in the past six centuries mostly due to pyroclastic flows, surges and especially lahars, as in 1919 eruption (5160 victims). Before the last eruption (1990) a system of drainage was done to maintain the volume of the lake at low level (2,000,000 m3) and to control the lahars. Hydro-acoustic monitoring is the first system of surveillance that has been performed at the crater lake and has revealed intense gas bubbling a year before seismic precursor records of the 1990 eruption. Oct 19, 2007 MOUNT KELUD, Indonesia - Armed police forced tens of thousands of reluctant residents to leave the slopes of one of Indonesia's deadliest volcanos Friday, warning an eruption was imminent. The United Nations mobilized hundreds of aid workers and medical supplies to the area. S4entists raised the alert at Mount Kelud to the highest level earlier this week, pointing to rising temperatures in the lake of its crater and deep underground tremors. Authorities ordered 116,000 people living along the fertile slopes to evacuate, but many have refused, saying they need to tend to their crops and animals. "If we didn't force them — in this case with a showing of firearms — the villagers would not budge," said local police chief Col. Tjuk Basuki, adding that residents have been repeatedly warned about the dangers of the volcano. "We had no choice but to do this for their safety."

Volcano erupts on Red Sea island A search for survivors is under way after a volcano erupted on a Yemeni island in the Red Sea, killing at least two people. The western part of the tiny al-Tair island, used as a military base, collapsed following the eruption, the defence ministry said. Two bodies were recovered from the sea and other soldiers are missing. Yemeni coastguards requested the help of nearby Nato ships in the search and rescue operation. The Canadian navy frigate HMCS Toronto was sailing towards the Suez Canal when it received the request. The Toronto's crew told the Canadian Press news agency two bodies had been pulled out of the sea, while one soldier had been rescued. Other reports, quoting soldiers and government officials, suggested the death toll could be higher. About 50 Yemeni soldiers were evacuated from the island before the eruption, witnesses and officials said. Rescuers were scouring the sea for about eight other soldiers who were feared to be missing. 'Aglow with lava' On Sunday evening, Canadian navy spokesman Ken Allen told reporters in an e-mail that the entire island was "aglow with lava and magma as it pours down into the sea". "The lava is spewing hundreds of feet into the air, with the volcanic ash also 1,000 feet in the air." Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh flew to nearby al-Hudayda port on Sunday to observe the situation. He ordered Yemen's navy to send rescue teams to the area. The island, some 140km (80 miles) off the Yemen coast, is about 3km long and has been used as a military base since 1996. Geologists say al-Tair, which lies on a major fault line, last saw a volcanic eruption in the late 19th Century. Yemeni officials are linking the eruption to several small earthquakes which they say hit the island on Sunday morning.

This photo captures strombolian activity and lava flows of Klyuchevskoy volcano on May 31, 2007. (Credit: Photo by Yu Demyanchuk) Kamchatka, Russia-  Volcano Blows Its Top Science Daily — Klyuchevskoy (pronounced Kloo-shef-skoy), a stratovolcano located in the north central region of the Kamchatka Peninsula, is blasting ash up to 32,000 feet in the air, and has diverted air traffic headed toward the Far East. This is the largest eruption to occur in the North Pacific in a decade, and is providing students at the University of Alaska Fairbanks a unique opportunity to collaborate with scientists, as well as state and federal agencies. Tracking the Klyuchevskoy eruption locally are a handful students and faculty from the Geophysical Institute and the Alaska Volcano Observatory (GI/AVO) who process data used to reroute air traffic around dangerous volcanic ash clouds. Information is collected by satellite, Web cam, and Puff, a three-dimensional volcanic ash computer model. Once these data are synthesized, they are then shared at large to ensure the safety of thousands of people living in, or flying through the North Pacific. Klyuchevskoy's been erupting since January, but the largest explosions in the eruption began June 28, 2007. These explosions created a 1,360-mile-long band of ash, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Aleutian Islands, clogging well-used air routes with volcanic ash that prove deas located in Kamchatka, its ash crossed the Bering Sea and reached Unimak Island in the Aleutians within one day. Volcanic ash moves quickly through the atmosphere, so it's important for scientists to have up-to-date information at their f Twice a day, the GI/AVO am goes through a rigorous process to examine the current condition of the more than 150 active volcanoes in the North Pacific. In addition, faculty is on call 24-hours a day to respond to large events like the recent explosions from Klyuchevskoy to guarantee information is shared and public safety is addressed. Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of Alaska Fairbanks. NASA MODIS Image of the Day: July 7, 2007 - Dual Plume from Klyuchevskaya Volcano STATUS REPORT Date Released: Saturday, July 7, 2007 Source: NASA MODIS Web Images Klyuchevskaya Volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula released a plume on July 1, 2007. The MODIS flying on NASA’s Aqua satellite took this picture the same day. Although opaque white clouds float overhead in this image, skies are clear enough to allow an easy view of the volcanic plume. This westward-blowing plume appears to have a dual nature. The larger, more visible plume is almost white, indicating high water vapor content. Below and slightly northward of the pale plume is another, this one dark brown in color. This plume’s dark color suggests that it consists primarily of volcanic ash. The steam plume casts its shadow onto the ash plume below. Klyuchevskaya (sometimes spelled Klyuchevskoy or Kliuchevskoi) is the most active volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula. With an altitude of 4,835 meters (15,863 feet), it is also the peninsula’s highest volcano. As part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” Kamchatka experiences regular seismic activity as the Pacific Plate slides below other tectonic plates in the Earth’s crust. Since its formation some 6,000 years ago, Klyuchevskaya has seen few periods of inactivity, and the volcano is estimated to have experienced more than 100 flank eruptions in the past 3,000 years. Ashy emissions of the Klyuchevsky Volcano in Kamchatka reach the height of 9 thousand metres; ashy clouds, a result of the volcanic emissions, have spread over 100.000 square kilometres. It is said that there is a danger to aircrafts due to the emissions and the low visibility.       The plumes of volcanic dust spread over 200 kilometres. The local seismic stations daily register up to 100 earthquakes in the volcano area. The resident population and guests of the region are advised to limit the time of staying outdoors during ashfalls, as volcanic dust may cause poisoning and other negative consequences.

18/04/2007 - 7:52:52 PM COLOMBIA Nevado del Huila volcano eruption forces evacuation of towns 04/18/2007 The municipalities of Belalcazar, La Plata, Nataga and Paicol were the hardest hit. Various roads, houses and bridges were washed away by river flooding, according to local emergency help units. Nevado del Huila volcano. Photo EFE Colombia's Nevado del Huila volcano erupted twice, late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, prompting evacuations and causing significant damage but no injuries, said authorities. "The eruptions caused the Paez river to rise, but an emergency plan took effect immediately and those zones affected were evacuated," said Luz Amanda Pulido, director of the office of prevention and attention to disasters, in comments to journalists before traveling to the site of eruption in southwest Colombia. The volcano's eruptions dislodged tons of rocks and ice that fell in to the river Paez. The municipalities of Belalcazar, La Plata, Nataga and Paicol were the hardest hit. Various roads, houses and bridges were washed away by river flooding, according to local emergency help units. The 5,634 meter volcano is located 270 kilometers southwest of Bogota. Waking from a nap that may have lasted thousands of years, the Nevado del Huila volcano in Colombia erupted late yesterday and early today, provoking avalanches and floodings that swept away houses and bridges and prompted the evacuation of thousands, authorities said. “The best news, up to now, is that we have no reports of injuries or deaths, Luz Amanda Pulido, director of the national disaster office, said after flying over the towering volcano located in south-west Colombia. “There’s ten thousand people in the zone, of which we’ve already evacuated 3,500.” The first eruption occurred 10.37pm yesterday (3.37am Irish time today), the second at 2.57am (7.57 Irish time) today.

04/10/2007, 08:47:40   Volcano experts say the shattering of one of the two craters of a giant volcano on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean is the eruption of the century. The 800-metre-wide plateau inside the crater dropped 300 metres during the eruption, and islanders remain on high alert. Scientists have made their first expedition to the site of the eruption, which took place more than a week ago, and say the scene there is apocalyptic. They say the main feeling, standing near the new 300-metre abyss, is fear. The volcano was still erupting on Monday, but the scientists say its most dramatic outburst is now over. Spectacular volcano eruption on La Reunion 04.04.07 Raging lava has spewed out of one of the world's most active volcanos on the French island of La Reunion. The red hot lava cut roads in half, damaged homes and created huge clouds of steam as it flowed into the Indian Ocean. But the islanders are used to the spectacle. It is the third eruption of the Piton de la Fournaise or 'Mountain of the Furnace' this year alone. About 50 teenagers were taken to hospital from three schools in Saint Joseph with respiratory problems caused by the volcano's sulpher fumes, according to Clicanoo.com, the online newspaper of La Reunion.   Researchers on the island are concerned the recent activity may be creating more cracks lower down the volcano, which will allow the molten lava to spread further. The volcano is about 530,000 years old and has erupted an estimated 170 times since the mid 17th century. La Reunion is a small island wedged between Madagascar and Mauritius. It is one of twenty-six regions of France and President Jacques Chirac is the head of state. The 777,000 island inhabitants once prospered from the cultivation of sugar cane, but tourism and financial aid from Paris now underpin its economy.

    Ecuador's Reventador Volcano Spews Ash

Mar 30 11:52 PM US/Eastern

Etna awakes with storm of fire and lava

  Comoros volcano tremors grow stronger
January 14 2007 at 12:46PM
  Moroni - Earth tremors from Comoros' volcano Mount Karthala grew stronger and more frequent, residents said on Sunday, forcing thousands of nervous families to sleep outside overnight for fear their homes might collapse.

The Indian Ocean archipelago's largest island, Grand Comore, was put on red alert after Mount Karthala - one of the world's largest active volcanos - began to glow red and emit suffocating fumes late on Friday.

The 2 361-metre Mount Karthala dominates Grand Comore, but its eruptions, which happen on average every 11 years, have rarely caused a major disaster.

But while lava levels inside the crater have subsided, earth tremors have become more frequent.

Hamidou Soule, a geologist who leads the Karthala surveillance centre, said tremors were lasting up to five seconds and had reached five on the Richter scale.

"The lava and the gases remain trapped and are looking to crack through the mountain. It seems the main chimney is blocked," he said. "The frequency of the tremors shows that a (lava) flow could happen in any part of the island."

Residents said people were prepared to evacuate.

"The tremors get stronger and stronger every 15 minutes," said Ibrahim Youssouf, a photographer from Mitsoudje village on the volcano's southwestern slope. "A good number of people have packed their bags, ready to flee in case of eruption."

Another resident from a village on the volcano's western slope said high temperatures had made the air dry.

"It feels like everything will explode," he said.

In the capital Moroni, thousands slept outside overnight and national radio broadcast appeals for calm and readings from the Koran across the mainly Muslim island.

"When I felt the tremor, I woke my wife and we stayed in the garden," said resident Abderemane Koudre. "We thought the house was going to collapse. It was frightening."

In 1903, 17 died from noxious fumes that seeped from cracks, and the last big eruption was in April 2005 when thousands fled in fear of poisonous gas and lava.

  MONSERATT VOLCANO shoots ash 5 miles *****

ORIGINAL CAPTION: Superheated ash and lava is visible inside the cone of the Soufriere Hills volcano, which has been active lately, as seen from Olveston, Montserrat, on Jan. 4, 2007. On Jan. 8, 2007 a cloud of ash and gas reportedly shot up from the volcano more than 5 miles (8 kilometers) into the sky, and authorities warn that more significant activity is possible in the coming days. (Wayne Fenton/ AP)

 
The pressure of the earth is being relieved....(about all the gas leaks)

Montserrat volcano shoots ash 5 miles up By BENNETTE ROACH, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 48 minutes ago

OLVESTON, Montserrat - The volcano that destroyed Montserrat's capital in 1997 shot a cloud of ash more than five miles into the sky on Monday, and one of the island's chief scientists said the blast was "a warning call."

The government has advised about 50 families on the northwestern side of the volcano's base that their homes were at risk from flows of blistering gas and debris if the dome collapses. Gov. Deborah Barnes Jones said she would sign an evacuation order Monday making it illegal for people to remain in the area.

The blast, accompanied by increased seismic rumbling, released gases and steam from inside a lava dome that has grown rapidly over the last week, said Dr. Vicky Hards, director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.

"I think it was a warning call ... of what it can do," Hards said.

The explosion around sunrise also sent a flow of volcanic material cascading two miles down the northwest flank, but did not immediately threaten any of the British Caribbean island's 5,000 inhabitants, Hards said. Sirens alerted people to listen to the radio for updates.

"People in the affected area know who they are and should work urgently on packing up and arranging for alternative accommodations," Barnes Jones said in a radio address.

Only "a handful" of residents were believed to still be living in the threatened area, said Mark Twigg, head of the governor's office.

"This causes genuine hardship for people who have to leave, and this is taken lightly by nobody," he said.

The volcano's latest burst of activity began on Dec. 24. Glowing streaks of red from the pyroclastic flows have created nighttime spectacles visible across much of the island. The volcano's rising dome remained in place after Monday's explosion, raising fears of a bigger event soon.

The Soufriere Hills volcano became active in 1995, and more than half the territory's 12,000 inhabitants moved away. An eruption in 1997 buried much of the south, including the capital of Plymouth, and killed 19 people.

Since then, the mountainous, teardrop-shaped island has gone on a building binge. A new city center is planned for Little Bay, the future capital, in northwest Montserrat. The island has a new airport to replace the one that was engulfed by lava flows and a 700-seat concert hall. A new parliament, courthouse and cricket field are planned.

Associated Press writer Michael Melia contributed to this story from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

On the Net:

Montserrat Volcano Observatory: [link to www.mvo.ms]

 

PHILIPPINES -

PREPARE FOR IMMEDIATE EVACUATION authorities on Sunday warned residents living near Mount Mayon, as lava flowed past the volcano's six-kilometer permanent danger zone. No signs of an immediate eruption were reported as of posting time though residents affected by ash fall and pyroclastic materials from the volcano were told they should evacuate. The Office of Civil Defense in Bicol, meanwhile, is closely monitoring the condition of residents in Santo Domingo town affected by ash fall.

 

Ashes hit Daraga and Legazpi residents

LEGAZPI CITY - Barely two weeks after Mount Mayon started emitting lava, residents of Daraga town and Legazpi City experienced ash falls following tropical depression Henry.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said the advancing lava front has reached the 320-meter elevation or 5.4 kilometers from the crater, which is just six meters away from six-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone.

PHIVOLCS resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta said that traces of ash deposits from lava flowing down the Mabini channel of the volcano formed small ash column that drifted to several areas south of the volcano, specifically the town of Daraga.

Red hot molten rocks continued cascading down the Bonga gully while smaller flows and incandescent blocks of lava were observed entering adjacent gullies towards the general directions of Miisi village in Daraga town and Mabinit, Bonga, Matanag and Buyoan villages in this city.

Due to this, the city disaster council and in Daraga issued an advisory for some 8,000 residents of affected villages to be on alert for sudden pyroclastic flows and explosions.

Gas emission from the volcano measured at 6,099 tons on Friday. Since July 26, scientists have noted the sudden increase and decrease of sulfur dioxide, indicating the strong possibility of volcanic eruption.

The seismic network recorded about 394 tremor episodes and four volcanic quakes during the past 24 hours signifying magma activity in the volcano.

Residents in these areas are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Meanwhile, The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned the public to be on guard, specifically the villages around the slopes of Mount Mayon as tropical depression Henry was almost stationary and is threatening the Bicol region.

Packing a maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center tropical depression Henry is moving west-northwest at a speed of three kilometers per hour.

Signal number 1 is hoisted over the entire Bicol region, as Henry was expected to be 350 km east-northeast of this city on Sunday morning; 240km northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, by Monday and 190 km east northeast of Virac by Tuesday morning.

About 130 passengers were stranded at Matnog port bound for the Visayas and Mindanao regions. The Philippine Coast Guard in Bicol grounded all inter-island vessels while the status of tropical depression Henry remained uncertain. Rhaydz B. Barcia

July 31, 2006, 3:12AM
Indonesian volcano spews hot gas, debris
 

© 2006 The Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A volcano in eastern Indonesia spewed hot gas and debris a mile down its slopes Monday, but hundreds of villagers refused to leave areas just outside the danger zone.

Mount Karangetang, one of the country's most active mountains, has been at a state of high alert for two weeks.

More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from villages near the peak, but 500 more living further down the mountainside are refusing to budge, saying they want to tend to livestock and crops, said Replein Areros, a district official.

On Monday, the 5,850-feet volcano shot out at least 30 bursts of lava and hot ash, said Saut Simatupang, chief researcher at the government's vulcanology agency.

The government could not force villagers to leave or prevent them from returning to check on their property, he said, adding that there were no reports of injuries or major damage.

The last deadly eruption of Karangetang _ located on Siau, part of the Sulawesi island chain _ was in 1992, when six villagers died.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

 

Cleveland Volcano, Chuginadak Island, Alaska

Location: 52.49N, 169.57W
Elevation: 5,674 ft (1,730 m)

What is happening to that volcano? It's erupting! 

In the upper left hand corner is Carlisle Island. In the center is Chuginadak Island!

The first person to note that the Aleutian Cleveland Volcano was spewing ash was astronaut Jeffrey N. Williams aboard the International Space Station. Looking down on the Alaskan Aleutian Islands two weeks ago, Williams noted, photographed, and reported a spectacular ash plume emanating from the Cleveland Volcano.

Alaska's newly erupted Cleveland Volcano gets the star treatment by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station.

Nestled in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, the Cleveland Volcano erupted on May 23,2006 in a short-lived spurt that lasted only two hours.
A bank of fog (upper right) is a common feature around the Aleutian Islands.  The AVO reported that the ash cloud height could have been as high as 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) above sea level

But that was enough time for NASA astronaut and Expedition 13 science officer/flight engineer Jeffrey Williams aboard the ISS to grab a camera and catch Cleveland’s immense plume just after he reported the scene at about 7:00 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) Tuesday.

In this image captured by Williams, Cleveland’s striking plume stands out from its blue sea surroundings as it moves from west-southeast from the volcano’s summit vent. By 9:00 p.m. EDT (0100 May 24 GMT), the plume had completely detached from the summit.

Williams and ISS commander Pavel Vinogradov are in the midst of a six-month mission aboard the space station. They arrived on April 1.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0606/volcanoplume_iss_big.jpg
Credit:  J. N. Williams, International Space Station 13 Crew, NASA

Mt. Cleveland is a 5,675-foot-tall (1,730 m) stratovolcano on the west side of Chuginadak Island. Chuginadak volcano and an unnamed volcano form the east side of the island. Mt. Cleveland is almost perfectly symmetrical and 5 miles (8 km) wide at its base. It is also one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutians. While a small number of soldiers were stationed on the island, one was killed during an eruption in June of 1944. A brief eruption in May of 1994 sent ash to 10.5 km. This photograph shows a small steam plume above Mt. Cleveland.

The last large eruption was on 20 March 2001

On 19 March, an explosive eruption occurred at Cleveland. The National Weather Service estimated the top of the ash cloud was 30,000 ft. ASL.

MERAPI ERUPTS AGAIN

6-6-06

MOUNT MERAPI -- The photo shows and unidentified object above the volcano that are often watched by UFOs. Indonesia officials evacuated 11,000 villagers from around Mount Merapi volcano as it shot out lava and superheated clouds of gas on June 6,2006 . The mountain's lava dome has swelled in recent weeks, raising fears that it could suddenly collapse and send scalding clouds of fast-moving gas and debris into populated areas

http://www.zaman.com/?bl=national&alt=&trh=20060604&hn=33721

Merapi Volcano Erupts
By Anadolu News Agency (aa), Cakarta
Published: Sunday, June 04, 2006
zaman.com

 Beginning 20 days ago, the explosions emanating from Merapi Volcano have intensified.

Government official Subandriyo said the Merapi volcano on Java Island continues to spew hot clouds of ash and lava, and added Mount Merapi has intensified its activity since the other day. Subandriyo said the lava flow increased by 17 meters and reached to 100 meters. Due to the increased activity of Merapi tens of thousands of people around the volcano have been evacuated.

Reportedly there could be a relation between the increased activity of the 3,000 meters high Merapi, which is 400 kilometers East of the capital Jakarta, and the latest 6.3 magnitude earthquake that took place on May 27. More than 6,000 people were killed in the earthquake. Merapi had previously erupted in 1994 killing 60 people.