Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 21-27 April 2021

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From: "Kuhn, Sally" <KUHNS@xxxxxx>


Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

21-27 April 2021



Sally Kuhn Sennert - Weekly Report Editor (kuhns@xxxxxx)

URL: https://volcano.si.edu/reports_weekly.cfm





New Activity/Unrest: Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)  | Piton de la
Fournaise, Reunion Island (France)  | Semisopochnoi, Aleutian Islands
(USA)  | Soufriere St. Vincent, St. Vincent  | Veniaminof, United States



Ongoing Activity: Aira, Kyushu (Japan)  | Ebeko, Paramushir Island
(Russia)  | Etna, Sicily (Italy)  | Fuego, Guatemala  | Kilauea, Hawaiian
Islands (USA)  | Krysuvik-Trolladyngja, Iceland  | Lewotolok, Lembata
Island (Indonesia)  | Merapi, Central Java (Indonesia)  | Pacaya,
Guatemala  | Semeru, Eastern Java (Indonesia)  | Sheveluch, Central
Kamchatka (Russia)  | Sinabung, Indonesia  | Stromboli, Aeolian Islands
(Italy)  | Suwanosejima, Ryukyu Islands (Japan)  | Villarrica, Chile





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, these reports
are preliminary and subject to change as events are studied in more detail.
This is not a comprehensive list of all of Earth's volcanoes erupting
during the week, but rather a summary of activity at volcanoes that meet
criteria discussed in detail in the "Criteria and Disclaimers" section.
Carefully reviewed, detailed reports about recent activity are published in
issues of the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network.



Note that 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.







New Activity/Unrest





Karymsky  | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)  | 54.049°N, 159.443°E  | Summit
elev. 1513 m



KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Karymsky was visible in
satellite images 16-17 and 22 April. The Aviation Color Code remained at
Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale).



Geologic Summary. Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern
volcanic zone, is a symmetrical stratovolcano constructed within a
5-km-wide caldera that formed during the early Holocene. The caldera cuts
the south side of the Pleistocene Dvor volcano and is located outside the
north margin of the large mid-Pleistocene Polovinka caldera, which contains
the smaller Akademia Nauk and Odnoboky calderas. Most seismicity preceding
Karymsky eruptions originated beneath Akademia Nauk caldera, located
immediately south. The caldera enclosing Karymsky formed about 7600-7700
radiocarbon years ago; construction of the stratovolcano began about 2000
years later. The latest eruptive period began about 500 years ago,
following a 2300-year quiescence. Much of the cone is mantled by lava flows
less than 200 years old. Historical eruptions have been vulcanian or
vulcanian-strombolian with moderate explosive activity and occasional lava
flows from the summit crater.



Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php





Piton de la Fournaise  | Reunion Island (France)  | 21.244°S, 55.708°E  |
Summit elev. 2632 m



OVPF reported that the eruption at Piton de la Fournaise continued during
21-27 April, though inclement weather conditions obscured visual
observations most of the week. The average lava-flow rate was between 1.2
and 8.3 cubic meters per second during 16-23 April. The flow rates were
estimated based on the gas-emission rates, though weather conditions may
have affected the accuracy of the measurements. Lava continued to mostly
flow in lava tubes; some flows thickened and parts of the flow field
widened. The longest flow was 3.2 km long and the maximum width was 750 m,
unchanged from the previous week. The flow field was mapped using a
satellite image acquired on 24 April. The Alert Level remained at 2-2.



Geologic Summary. The massive Piton de la Fournaise basaltic shield volcano
on the French island of Réunion in the western Indian Ocean is one of the
world's most active volcanoes. Much of its more than 530,000-year history
overlapped with eruptions of the deeply dissected Piton des Neiges shield
volcano to the NW. Three calderas formed at about 250,000, 65,000, and less
than 5000 years ago by progressive eastward slumping of the volcano.
Numerous pyroclastic cones dot the floor of the calderas and their outer
flanks. Most historical eruptions have originated from the summit and
flanks of Dolomieu, a 400-m-high lava shield that has grown within the
youngest caldera, which is 8 km wide and breached to below sea level on the
eastern side. More than 150 eruptions, most of which have produced fluid
basaltic lava flows, have occurred since the 17th century. Only six
eruptions, in 1708, 1774, 1776, 1800, 1977, and 1986, have originated from
fissures on the outer flanks of the caldera. The Piton de la Fournaise
Volcano Observatory, one of several operated by the Institut de Physique du
Globe de Paris, monitors this very active volcano.



Source: Observatoire Volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF)
http://www.ipgp.fr/





Semisopochnoi  | Aleutian Islands (USA)  | 51.93°N, 179.58°E  | Summit
elev. 1221 m



Eruptive activity at Semisopochnoi gradually increased during 21-22 April
based on satellite and infrasound data; ash emissions were first seen in
satellite images at 1800 on 21 April and were continuous at least through
1348 on 22 April. Plumes rose to 2.4 km (8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 80 km
S. Sulfur dioxide emissions were also detected in satellite images on 22
April. Cloud cover mostly obscured views during 23-24 April, though
possible minor ash emissions were sometimes visible. Low-level ash plumes
drifting S were occasionally identified in satellite images during 24-26
April. Dense weather clouds prevented views for most of 26 April and the
next day. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange and the Volcano Alert
Level remained at Watch.



Geologic Summary. Semisopochnoi, the largest subaerial volcano of the
western Aleutians, is 20 km wide at sea level and contains an 8-km-wide
caldera. It formed as a result of collapse of a low-angle, dominantly
basaltic volcano following the eruption of a large volume of dacitic
pumice. The high point of the island is Anvil Peak, a double-peaked
late-Pleistocene cone that forms much of the island's northern part. The
three-peaked Mount Cerberus was constructed within the caldera during the
Holocene. Each of the peaks contains a summit crater; lava flows on the N
flank of Cerberus appear younger than those on the south side. Other
post-caldera volcanoes include the symmetrical Sugarloaf Peak SSE of the
caldera and Lakeshore Cone, a small cinder cone at the edge of Fenner Lake
in the NE part of the caldera. Most documented eruptions have originated
from Cerberus, although Coats (1950) considered that both Sugarloaf and
Lakeshore Cone could have been recently active.



Source: US Geological Survey Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)
https://avo.alaska.edu/





Soufriere St. Vincent  | St. Vincent  | 13.33°N, 61.18°W  | Summit elev.
1220 m



University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC) reported
that eruptive activity at Soufrière St. Vincent (often simply referred to
as â??La Soufriereâ??) was relatively low during 21-27 April with the exception
of one explosive period. During 20-21 April seismicity was characterized by
a few rockfalls and volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes, and an increasing
number of small long-period (LP) and hybrid earthquakes. Sulfur dioxide
emissions were again measured from a boat near the W coast, revealing a
flux of 350 tons per day. At around 1108 on 22 April explosions produced an
ash plume that rose as high as 8 km (26,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifted mainly N
over the sea. High-level seismic tremor began at 1109 and lasted for about
20 minutes. Pyroclastic flows were generated early in the eruption and
traveled down the W flank, reaching the sea within five minutes. Lahar
signals were recorded later that day at about 2100. According to National
Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) the total number of displaced
people was 13,154 by 21 April, with 6,208 people in 85 public shelters and
6,790 people (1,618 families) in private shelters. There were no casualties
caused by the eruption. In a 22 April press release the Argyle
International Airport announced that the ash cleanup was ongoing and that
the Cargo Terminal was scheduled to open the next day.



Seismicity dropped to low levels after the explosive event and remained at
low levels through 27 April; only a few LP, hybrid and VT earthquakes were
recorded. On 23 April the sulfur dioxide flux was 992 tons per day,
recorded again from the W coast. A diffuse steam plume rose from the crater
on 24 April. Satellite data most recently from 24 April, and seismic data
suggested likely cycles of crater dome growth and destruction. During an
overflight on 26 April scientists observed white steam plumes rising from
several locations on the crater floor, though visibility was poor. No lava
dome was visible, but a possible spine-like protrusion was seen through the
clouds. Seismic signals indicating lahars were again recorded. Lahars in
the Red and Orange zones were recorded by the seismic network at 0900 and
1000 on 27 April, during and after rainfall. The volcano Alert Level
remained at Red.



Geologic Summary. Soufrière St. Vincent is the northernmost and youngest
volcano on St. Vincent Island. The NE rim of the 1.6-km wide summit crater
is cut by a crater formed in 1812. The crater itself lies on the SW margin
of a larger 2.2-km-wide caldera, which is breached widely to the SW as a
result of slope failure. Frequent explosive eruptions after about 4,300
years ago produced pyroclastic deposits of the Yellow Tephra Formation,
which cover much of the island. The first historical eruption took place in
1718; it and the 1812 eruption produced major explosions. Much of the
northern end of the island was devastated by a major eruption in 1902 that
coincided with the catastrophic Mont Pelée eruption on Martinique. A lava
dome was emplaced in the summit crater in 1971 during a strictly effusive
eruption, forming an island within a lake that filled the crater. A series
of explosive eruptions in 1979 destroyed the 1971 dome and ejected the
lake; a new dome was then built.



Sources: University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre (UWI-SRC)
http://www.uwiseismic.com/;

National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), Government of Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines http://nemo.gov.lc/;

Advanced geospatial Data Management Platform (ADAM) https://adamplatform.eu/
;

Argyle International Airport Inc. http://www.svg-airport.com/





Veniaminof  | United States  | 56.17°N, 159.38°W  | Summit elev. 2507 m



AVO reported that eruptive activity at Veniaminof had declined during the
previous few weeks; no emissions were visible after ash emissions on 5
April and seismicity continued to decline. On 21 April the Volcano Alert
Level was lowered to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code was lowered to
Yellow.



Geologic Summary. Veniaminof, on the Alaska Peninsula, is truncated by a
steep-walled, 8 x 11 km, glacier-filled caldera that formed around 3,700
years ago. The caldera rim is up to 520 m high on the north, is deeply
notched on the west by Cone Glacier, and is covered by an ice sheet on the
south. Post-caldera vents are located along a NW-SE zone bisecting the
caldera that extends 55 km from near the Bering Sea coast, across the
caldera, and down the Pacific flank. Historical eruptions probably all
originated from the westernmost and most prominent of two intra-caldera
cones, which rises about 300 m above the surrounding icefield. The other
cone is larger, and has a summit crater or caldera that may reach 2.5 km in
diameter, but is more subdued and barely rises above the glacier surface.



Source: US Geological Survey Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)
https://avo.alaska.edu/





Ongoing Activity





Aira  | Kyushu (Japan)  | 31.593°N, 130.657°E  | Summit elev. 1117 m



JMA reported that during 19-26 April incandescence from Minamidake Crater
(at Aira Calderaâ??s Sakurajima volcano) was visible nightly. There was a
total of 16 explosions, producing ash plumes that rose as high as 2.3 km
above the summit and ejected bombs 1-1.3 km away from the crater. The
sulfur dioxide emission rate was somewhat high at 1,800 tons per day on 21
April. An explosion at 0109 on 25 April produced what was initially thought
to be a pyroclastic flow, triggering JMA to warn residents beyond a 2-km
radius to be cautious and vigilant. Scientists conducting field
observations later that day did not observe pyroclastic flow deposits or
damaged vegetation, and concluded that the plume phenomenon was generated
by winds. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale), and residents
were warned to stay 2 km away from the crater.



Geologic Summary. The Aira caldera in the northern half of Kagoshima Bay
contains the post-caldera Sakurajima volcano, one of Japan's most active.
Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow accompanied formation of
the 17 x 23 km caldera about 22,000 years ago. The smaller Wakamiko caldera
was formed during the early Holocene in the NE corner of the Aira caldera,
along with several post-caldera cones. The construction of Sakurajima began
about 13,000 years ago on the southern rim of Aira caldera and built an
island that was finally joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major
explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kitadake summit
cone ended about 4850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at
Minamidake. Frequent historical eruptions, recorded since the 8th century,
have deposited ash on Kagoshima, one of Kyushu's largest cities, located
across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest historical
eruption took place during 1471-76.



Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/





Ebeko  | Paramushir Island (Russia)  | 50.686°N, 156.014°E  | Summit elev.
1103 m



Volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of
Ebeko, observed explosions during 16-18 and 22 April that sent ash plumes
to 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE, E, and SW. Ash fell in
Severo-Kurilsk on 16 April. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the
second highest level on a four-color scale).



Geologic Summary. The flat-topped summit of the central cone of Ebeko
volcano, one of the most active in the Kuril Islands, occupies the northern
end of Paramushir Island. Three summit craters located along a SSW-NNE line
form Ebeko volcano proper, at the northern end of a complex of five
volcanic cones. Blocky lava flows extend west from Ebeko and SE from the
neighboring Nezametnyi cone. The eastern part of the southern crater
contains strong solfataras and a large boiling spring. The central crater
is filled by a lake about 20 m deep whose shores are lined with steaming
solfataras; the northern crater lies across a narrow, low barrier from the
central crater and contains a small, cold crescentic lake. Historical
activity, recorded since the late-18th century, has been restricted to
small-to-moderate explosive eruptions from the summit craters. Intense
fumarolic activity occurs in the summit craters, on the outer flanks of the
cone, and in lateral explosion craters.



Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php





Etna  | Sicily (Italy)  | 37.748°N, 14.999°E  | Summit elev. 3320 m



INGV reported that during 19-25 April activity at Etna was mainly
characterized by gas emissions rising from the summit craters, though
inclement weather conditions often prevented visual observations. Bocca
Nuova in particular produced frequent steam puffs. A strong explosion at
0030 on 25 April from the E vent of Southeast Crater (SEC) ejected
incandescent material up to 350 m above the crater rim. An ash plume
dispersed to the S.



Geologic Summary. Mount Etna, towering above Catania, Sicily's second
largest city, has one of the world's longest documented records of
historical volcanism, dating back to 1500 BCE. Historical lava flows of
basaltic composition cover much of the surface of this massive volcano,
whose edifice is the highest and most voluminous in Italy. The Mongibello
stratovolcano, truncated by several small calderas, was constructed during
the late Pleistocene and Holocene over an older shield volcano. The most
prominent morphological feature of Etna is the Valle del Bove, a 5 x 10 km
horseshoe-shaped caldera open to the east. Two styles of eruptive activity
typically occur, sometimes simultaneously. Persistent explosive eruptions,
sometimes with minor lava emissions, take place from one or more summit
craters. Flank vents, typically with higher effusion rates, are less
frequently active and originate from fissures that open progressively
downward from near the summit (usually accompanied by Strombolian eruptions
at the upper end). Cinder cones are commonly constructed over the vents of
lower-flank lava flows. Lava flows extend to the foot of the volcano on all
sides and have reached the sea over a broad area on the SE flank.



Source: Sezione di Catania - Osservatorio Etneo (INGV)
http://www.ct.ingv.it/





Fuego  | Guatemala  | 14.473°N, 90.88°W  | Summit elev. 3763 m



INSIVUMEH reported that 5-14 explosions were recorded per hour during 21-27
April at Fuego, generating ash plumes as high as 1.1 km above the crater
rim. Shock waves rattled buildings around the volcano, especially in areas
as far as 20 km W and SW. Block avalanches descended the Ceniza (SSW), Seca
(W), Trinidad (S), Taniluyá (SW), Las Lajas (SE), and Honda drainages,
often reaching vegetated areas. Ashfall was reported on most days in
several areas downwind including Morelia (9 km SW), Panimaché I and II (8
km SW), Santa Sofía (12 km SW), El Porvenir (8 km ENE), Sangre de Cristo (8
km WSW), and San Pedro Yepocapa (8 km NW). Explosions ejected incandescent
material 100-400 m above the summit almost daily.



Geologic Summary. Volcán Fuego, one of Central America's most active
volcanoes, is also one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking
Guatemala's former capital, Antigua. The scarp of an older edifice, Meseta,
lies between Fuego and Acatenango to the north. Construction of Meseta
dates back to about 230,000 years and continued until the late Pleistocene
or early Holocene. Collapse of Meseta may have produced the massive
Escuintla debris-avalanche deposit, which extends about 50 km onto the
Pacific coastal plain. Growth of the modern Fuego volcano followed,
continuing the southward migration of volcanism that began at the mostly
andesitic Acatenango. Eruptions at Fuego have become more mafic with time,
and most historical activity has produced basaltic rocks. Frequent vigorous
historical eruptions have been recorded since the onset of the Spanish era
in 1524, and have produced major ashfalls, along with occasional
pyroclastic flows and lava flows.



Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e
Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH) http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/





Kilauea  | Hawaiian Islands (USA)  | 19.421°N, 155.287°W  | Summit elev.
1222 m



HVO reported that the W vent on the inner NW wall of Kilauea's Halema`uma`u
Crater continued to supply the lava lake during 21-27 April. Lava flowed at
a low rate from the main vent into the lake through crusted-over channels
and submerged inlets. The depth of the lake was about 226-227 m and lava
continued to circulate in the W part, though the active area continued to
shrink; the E half of the lake remained solidified. Lava sometimes
overflowed the margins of the lake. The sulfur dioxide emission rate was
350, 550, 300, and 350 tons/day on 21, 22, 23, and 24 April, respectively.
The rates were the lowest measured during the eruption, though elevated
above the levels recorded in the months before the start of the eruption
(20 December 2020). The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange and the
Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch.



Geologic Summary. Kilauea, which overlaps the E flank of the massive Mauna
Loa shield volcano, has been Hawaii's most active volcano during historical
time. Eruptions are prominent in Polynesian legends; written documentation
extending back to only 1820 records frequent summit and flank lava flow
eruptions that were interspersed with periods of long-term lava lake
activity that lasted until 1924 at Halemaumau crater, within the summit
caldera. The 3 x 5 km caldera was formed in several stages about 1500 years
ago and during the 18th century; eruptions have also originated from the
lengthy East and SW rift zones, which extend to the sea on both sides of
the volcano. About 90% of the surface of the basaltic shield volcano is
formed of lava flows less than about 1100 years old; 70% of the volcano's
surface is younger than 600 years. A long-term eruption from the East rift
zone that began in 1983 has produced lava flows covering more than 100 km2,
destroying nearly 200 houses and adding new coastline to the island.



Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)
https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/





Krysuvik-Trolladyngja  | Iceland  | 63.917°N, 22.067°W  | Summit elev. 360 m



IMO reported that the fissure eruption in the W part of the
Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcanic system, close to Fagradalsfjall on the
Reykjanes Peninsula, continued during 21-27 April. A M 4.1 earthquake was
recorded at 2305 on 21 April about 6 km WSW of the fissures and followed by
several aftershocks; it was the largest on the Reykjanes Peninsula since 15
March, before the eruption began. The average lava-flow rate was calculated
by the University of Icelandâ??s Institute of Earth Sciences using
photographs most recently collected during an overflight on 26 April. They
reported that during the previous five days the flow rate from all of the
active craters averaged just over 6 cubic meters per second; the average
rate during the 38 days of the eruption was 5.6 cubic meters per second.
The area of the flow field was 1.13 square kilometers, the total volume was
over 18.4 million cubic meters, with an average thickness of just over 16
m. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange due to the lack of ash and
tephra emissions.



Geologic Summary. The Krýsuvík-Trölladyngja volcanic system is described by
the Catalogue of Icelandic Volcanoes as an approximately 50-km-long
composite fissure swarm trending about N38°E, including a 30-km-long swarm
of fissures, with no central volcano. It is one of the volcanic systems
arranged en-echelon along the Reykjanes Peninsula west of Kleifarvatn lake.
The Fagradalsfjall and Krýsuvík fissure swarms are considered splits or
secondary swarms of the Krýsuvíkâ??Trölladyngja volcanic system. Small shield
volcanoes have produced a large portion of the erupted volume within the
system. Several eruptions have taken place since the settlement of Iceland,
including the eruption of a large basaltic lava flow from the Ogmundargigar
crater row around the 12th century. The latest eruption, identified through
tephrochronology, took place during the 14th century.



Source: Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) http://en.vedur.is/





Lewotolok  | Lembata Island (Indonesia)  | 8.274°S, 123.508°E  | Summit
elev. 1431 m



PVMBG reported that the eruption at Lewotolok continued during 20-27 April.
Black, gray, and white plumes rose as high as 1 km above the summit and
drifted E, SE, and W on most days. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a
scale of 1-4) and the public was warned to stay 3 km away from the summit
crater.



Geologic Summary. The Lewotolok (or Lewotolo) stratovolcano occupies the
eastern end of an elongated peninsula extending north into the Flores Sea,
connected to Lembata (formerly Lomblen) Island by a narrow isthmus. It is
symmetrical when viewed from the north and east. A small cone with a
130-m-wide crater constructed at the SE side of a larger crater forms the
volcano's high point. Many lava flows have reached the coastline. Eruptions
recorded since 1660 have consisted of explosive activity from the summit
crater.



Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known
as CVGHM) http://vsi.esdm.go.id/





Merapi  | Central Java (Indonesia)  | 7.54°S, 110.446°E  | Summit elev.
2910 m



BPPTKG reported that the lava dome just below Merapiâ??s SW rim and the lava
dome in the summit crater both continued to extrude lava during 16-22
April. The SW rim lava-dome volume was an estimated 1,069,600 cubic meters
on 21 April, with a growth rate of about 11,900 cubic meters per day; the
dome continued to shed material down the flank. A total of nine pyroclastic
flows traveled a maximum of 1.8 km down the SW flank. Incandescent
avalanches, recorded 144 times, traveled as far as 1.6 km down the SW flank
and twice down the SE flank as far as 400 m. The volume of the summit lava
dome was 1,794,000 cubic meters on 22 April. The Alert Level remained at 3
(on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to stay 5 km away from the
summit.



Geologic Summary. Merapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, lies in
one of the world's most densely populated areas and dominates the landscape
immediately north of the major city of Yogyakarta. It is the youngest and
southernmost of a volcanic chain extending NNW to Ungaran volcano. Growth
of Old Merapi during the Pleistocene ended with major edifice collapse
perhaps about 2,000 years ago, leaving a large arcuate scarp cutting the
eroded older Batulawang volcano. Subsequent growth of the steep-sided Young
Merapi edifice, its upper part unvegetated due to frequent activity, began
SW of the earlier collapse scarp. Pyroclastic flows and lahars accompanying
growth and collapse of the steep-sided active summit lava dome have
devastated cultivated lands on the western-to-southern flanks and caused
many fatalities.



Source: Balai Penyelidikan dan Pengembangan Teknologi Kebencanaan Geologi
(BPPTKG) http://www.merapi.bgl.esdm.go.id/





Pacaya  | Guatemala  | 14.382°N, 90.601°W  | Summit elev. 2569 m



INSIVUMEH reported that during 20-21 April explosions at Pacayaâ??s Mackenney
Crater generated minor gas-and-ash plumes that rose 250 m above the summit
and drifted S and SW. The lava flow on the SW flank continued to be active,
though did not advance. White gas plumes were visible the next day rising
as high as 200 m. On 23 April lava effusion ceased. The lava flows on the
SW flank remained hot and gas plumes rose from parts of the flow; no
advancement was visible through 27 April. Gray-and-white emissions were
visible during 24-27 April, rising 100-200 m above the summit and
dispersing S and SW. Occasional minor explosions ejected incandescent
material 50-150 m high during 26-27 April.



Geologic Summary. Eruptions from Pacaya, one of Guatemala's most active
volcanoes, are frequently visible from Guatemala City, the nation's
capital. This complex basaltic volcano was constructed just outside the
southern topographic rim of the 14 x 16 km Pleistocene Amatitlán caldera. A
cluster of dacitic lava domes occupies the southern caldera floor. The
post-caldera Pacaya massif includes the ancestral Pacaya Viejo and Cerro
Grande stratovolcanoes and the currently active Mackenney stratovolcano.
Collapse of Pacaya Viejo between 600 and 1500 years ago produced a
debris-avalanche deposit that extends 25 km onto the Pacific coastal plain
and left an arcuate somma rim inside which the modern Pacaya volcano
(Mackenney cone) grew. A subsidiary crater, Cerro Chino, was constructed on
the NW somma rim and was last active in the 19th century. During the past
several decades, activity has consisted of frequent strombolian eruptions
with intermittent lava flow extrusion that has partially filled in the
caldera moat and armored the flanks of Mackenney cone, punctuated by
occasional larger explosive eruptions that partially destroy the summit of
the growing young stratovolcano.



Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e
Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH) http://www.insivumeh.gob.gt/





Semeru  | Eastern Java (Indonesia)  | 8.108°S, 112.922°E  | Summit elev.
3657 m



PVMBG reported that during 21-22 and 24-25 April ash plumes from Semeru
rose 500-700 m above the summit and drifted SW, S, and SE. The Alert Level
remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), with a general exclusion zone of 1 km
and extensions to 5 km in the SSE sector.



Geologic Summary. Semeru, the highest volcano on Java, and one of its most
active, lies at the southern end of a volcanic massif extending north to
the Tengger caldera. The steep-sided volcano, also referred to as Mahameru
(Great Mountain), rises above coastal plains to the south. Gunung Semeru
was constructed south of the overlapping Ajek-ajek and Jambangan calderas.
A line of lake-filled maars was constructed along a N-S trend cutting
through the summit, and cinder cones and lava domes occupy the eastern and
NE flanks. Summit topography is complicated by the shifting of craters from
NW to SE. Frequent 19th and 20th century eruptions were dominated by
small-to-moderate explosions from the summit crater, with occasional lava
flows and larger explosive eruptions accompanied by pyroclastic flows that
have reached the lower flanks of the volcano.



Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known
as CVGHM) http://vsi.esdm.go.id/





Sheveluch  | Central Kamchatka (Russia)  | 56.653°N, 161.36°E  | Summit
elev. 3283 m



KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in
satellite images during 16-23 April. The Aviation Color Code remained at
Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale).



Geologic Summary. The high, isolated massif of Sheveluch volcano (also
spelled Shiveluch) rises above the lowlands NNE of the Kliuchevskaya
volcano group. The 1300 km3 volcano is one of Kamchatka's largest and most
active volcanic structures. The summit of roughly 65,000-year-old Stary
Shiveluch is truncated by a broad 9-km-wide late-Pleistocene caldera
breached to the south. Many lava domes dot its outer flanks. The Molodoy
Shiveluch lava dome complex was constructed during the Holocene within the
large horseshoe-shaped caldera; Holocene lava dome extrusion also took
place on the flanks of Stary Shiveluch. At least 60 large eruptions have
occurred during the Holocene, making it the most vigorous andesitic volcano
of the Kuril-Kamchatka arc. Widespread tephra layers from these eruptions
have provided valuable time markers for dating volcanic events in
Kamchatka. Frequent collapses of dome complexes, most recently in 1964,
have produced debris avalanches whose deposits cover much of the floor of
the breached caldera.



Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index_eng.php





Sinabung  | Indonesia  | 3.17°N, 98.392°E  | Summit elev. 2460 m



PVMBG reported that the eruption at Sinabung continued during 21-27 April.
Weather conditions sometimes prevented visual observations of the volcano,
though white fumarolic plumes were visible almost daily rising as high as
700 m above the summit and drifted E and SE. Pyroclastic flows traveled 2
km on 21 April. Avalanches of material traveled 1 km E and SE during 23-24
April. Ash plumes rose 2 km above the summit on 24 April and to 1 km on 25
April, drifting ESE both days. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of
1-4), with a general exclusion zone of 3 km and extensions to 5 km in the
SE sector and 4 km in the NE sector.



Geologic Summary. Gunung Sinabung is a Pleistocene-to-Holocene
stratovolcano with many lava flows on its flanks. The migration of summit
vents along a N-S line gives the summit crater complex an elongated form.
The youngest crater of this conical andesitic-to-dacitic edifice is at the
southern end of the four overlapping summit craters. The youngest deposit
is a SE-flank pyroclastic flow 14C dated by Hendrasto et al. (2012) at
740-880 CE. An unconfirmed eruption was noted in 1881, and solfataric
activity was seen at the summit and upper flanks in 1912. No confirmed
historical eruptions were recorded prior to explosive eruptions during
August-September 2010 that produced ash plumes to 5 km above the summit.



Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known
as CVGHM) http://vsi.esdm.go.id/





Stromboli  | Aeolian Islands (Italy)  | 38.789°N, 15.213°E  | Summit elev.
924 m



INGV reported that during 19-25 April activity at Stromboli was
characterized by ongoing explosive activity from Area N (North Crater area)
and in Area C-S (South-Central Crater area), though sometime weather
conditions prevented visual observations. Explosions from two vents in the
N1 vent (Area N) ejected lapilli and bombs 250 m high, and produced minor
ash emissions. Explosions at N2 vents (Area N) averaged 11-14 events per
hour. Periods of visible spattering were most notable on 24 April.
Explosions from at least three vents in Area C-S occurred at a rate of 1-5
events per hour and ejected coarse material more than 250 m high.



Geologic Summary. Spectacular incandescent nighttime explosions at this
volcano have long attracted visitors to the "Lighthouse of the
Mediterranean." Stromboli, the NE-most of the Aeolian Islands, has lent its
name to the frequent mild explosive activity that has characterized its
eruptions throughout much of historical time. The small island is the
emergent summit of a volcano that grew in two main eruptive cycles, the
last of which formed the western portion of the island. The Neostromboli
eruptive period took place between about 13,000 and 5,000 years ago. The
active summit vents are located at the head of the Sciara del Fuoco, a
prominent horseshoe-shaped scarp formed about 5,000 years ago due to a
series of slope failures that extend to below sea level. The modern volcano
has been constructed within this scarp, which funnels pyroclastic ejecta
and lava flows to the NW. Essentially continuous mild Strombolian
explosions, sometimes accompanied by lava flows, have been recorded for
more than a millennium.



Source: Sezione di Catania - Osservatorio Etneo (INGV)
http://www.ct.ingv.it/





Suwanosejima  | Ryukyu Islands (Japan)  | 29.638°N, 129.714°E  | Summit
elev. 796 m



JMA reported that incandescence from Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater was
occasionally visible at night during 16-23 April. Five explosions generated
ash plumes that rose as high as 1.7 km above the crater rim and ejected
bombs 600 m away. The Alert Level remained at 2 and the public was warned
to stay 1 km away from the crater.



Geologic Summary. The 8-km-long, spindle-shaped island of Suwanosejima in
the northern Ryukyu Islands consists of an andesitic stratovolcano with two
historically active summit craters. The summit is truncated by a large
breached crater extending to the sea on the east flank that was formed by
edifice collapse. Suwanosejima, one of Japan's most frequently active
volcanoes, was in a state of intermittent strombolian activity from Otake,
the NE summit crater, that began in 1949 and lasted until 1996, after which
periods of inactivity lengthened. The largest historical eruption took
place in 1813-14, when thick scoria deposits blanketed residential areas,
and the SW crater produced two lava flows that reached the western coast.
At the end of the eruption the summit of Otake collapsed forming a large
debris avalanche and creating the horseshoe-shaped Sakuchi caldera, which
extends to the eastern coast. The island remained uninhabited for about 70
years after the 1813-1814 eruption. Lava flows reached the eastern coast of
the island in 1884. Only about 50 people live on the island.



Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/





Villarrica  | Chile  | 39.42°S, 71.93°W  | Summit elev. 2847 m



SERNAGEOMIN reported that during 1-15 April gas-and-steam emissions with no
or very small amounts of ash rose from Villarrica to heights less than 1.2
km above the crater rim. Crater incandescence was not visible at night and
sulfur dioxide emissions were low. Observations from multiple sources
suggested that the lava lake level was lower, decreasing the likelihood
that material ejected by minor explosions would reach beyond 100 m from the
crater. The Alert Level was lowered to Green on 23 April, the lowest level
on a four-color scale. ONEMI declared a â??Preventative Early Warningâ?? for
the municipalities of Villarrica, Pucón (16 km N), Curarrehue, and the
commune of Panguipulli, and the exclusion zone for the public of 100 m
around the crater.



Geologic Summary. Glacier-clad Villarrica, one of Chile's most active
volcanoes, rises above the lake and town of the same name. It is the
westernmost of three large stratovolcanoes that trend perpendicular to the
Andean chain. A 6-km-wide caldera formed during the late Pleistocene. A
2-km-wide caldera that formed about 3500 years ago is located at the base
of the presently active, dominantly basaltic to basaltic-andesitic cone at
the NW margin of the Pleistocene caldera. More than 30 scoria cones and
fissure vents dot the flanks. Plinian eruptions and pyroclastic flows that
have extended up to 20 km from the volcano were produced during the
Holocene. Lava flows up to 18 km long have issued from summit and flank
vents. Historical eruptions, documented since 1558, have consisted largely
of mild-to-moderate explosive activity with occasional lava effusion.
Glaciers cover 40 km2 of the volcano, and lahars have damaged towns on its
flanks.



Sources: Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN)
http://www.sernageomin.cl/;

Oficina Nacional de Emergencia-Ministerio del Interior (ONEMI)
http://www.onemi.cl/



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End of Volcano Digest - 23 Apr 2021 to 28 Apr 2021 (#2021-42)
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