Volcano

Earthquakes at 2 Alaska volcanoes could signal eruption: Officials

A second volcano in remote Alaska is experiencing elevated earthquake activity this week, signaling an increased potential for eruption, officials said. Earthquake activity near Takawangha Volcano increased over the past 48 hours and are continuing, Alaska Volcano Observatory officials said in a news release Thursday. That volcano is west of Anchorage in the western Aleutian islands and about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Tanaga Volcano, which scientists said earlier this week had seen intensified earthquake activity. The Alaska Volcano Observatory raised the alert level to advisory status for Tanaga Volcano late Tuesday after the quakes became vigorous. The observatory on Thursday raised the alert level to watch status for Takawangha Volcano. Analysts at the observatory continue to monitor the situation closely. Up to several earthquakes per minute are occurring under Tanaga Island, where both volcanoes are located, the observatory said. The largest quake over the previous 24 hours

Semeru volcano erupts in Indonesia's Java island, residents evacuated

Semeru volcano on Indonesia's Java island erupted on Sunday, spewing a 1.5-km high ash column, authorities said

Indonesia's Mt Semeru unleashes lava river in new eruption today

Indonesia's highest volcano on its most densely populated island released searing gas clouds and rivers of lava in its latest eruption on Sunday. Monsoon rains eroded and finally collapsed the lava dome atop 3,676-metre (12,060-foot) Mount Semeru, causing the eruption, according to National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari, citing information from the Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Agency at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry. Several villages were blanketed with falling ash, blocking out the sun, but no casualties have been reported. Thick columns of ash were blasted more than 1,500 metres (nearly 4,000 feet) into the sky, while searing gas and lava flowed down Semeru's slopes, traveling toward a nearby river. People were advised to stay 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) from the crater's mouth, and keep off the southeastern sector area along the Besuk Kobokan river located about 13 kilometres (8 miles) from the crater. Several hundred people were

Ecuador volcano registers new activity with gas emissions, ash fall

Gas and water vapour emissions, a low level of ash and an increase in seismic activity were recordedat the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador, according to officials

2 volcanoes rumble into action in Russia; major eruptions expected

Towering clouds of ash and glowing lava are spewing from two volcanoes on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and scientists say major eruptions could be on the way. The peninsula, which extends into the Pacific Ocean about 6,600 kilometres (4,000 miles) east of Moscow, is one of the world's most concentrated areas of geothermal activity, with about 30 active volcanoes. The sudden new activity followed a strong earthquake on Saturday, news reports said. The Russian Academy of Sciences' vulcanology institute said that at Klyuchevskaya Sopka, which at 4,754 metres (nearly 16,000 feet) is Eurasia's tallest active volcano, as many as 10 explosions an hour were being recorded. Lava flows and ash emissions also are coming from the Shiveluch volcano, the institute said. Kamchatka is sparsely populated. The town of Klyuchi, with about 5,000 people, lies between the two volcanoes, 30-50 kilometres (20-30 miles) from each. The volcanoes are about 450 kilometres (270 miles) from the peninsula's on

Volcanic eruption in Japan forces evacuations in two towns of Kyushu

Dozens of people have evacuated two towns on Japan's main southern island of Kyushu where a volcano spewed ash and large rocks into the nighttime sky. Large rocks fell as far as 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) from the Sakurajima volcano Sunday night in the southern prefecture of Kagoshima. Footage on Japan's NHK public television showed orange flames flashing near the crater and dark smoke with ash billowing high above the mountaintop. Japan's Meteorological Agency raised the eruption alert to the highest level of five and advised 51 residents in two towns facing the volcano to leave their homes. By Monday morning, 33 of them left their homes for a nursing care facility in a safer part of the region, according to Kagoshima city. NHK said others subject to evacuation might have evacuated to other locations. We will put the people's lives first and do our utmost to assess the situation and respond to any emergency, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki told reporters. He calle

Magnitude 6.1 earthquake jolts Philippines, no casualties reported so far

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said, the quake, which occurred at 5:50 a.m., hit at a depth of 132 km, about 21-km northwest of Calatagan town

Philippine volcanic institute raises alert level for Taal volcano

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level for Taal volcano, near Manila, on Saturday due to "increasing unrest."

Three of Tonga's smaller islands suffer serious damage by tsunami

Three of Tonga's smaller islands suffered serious damage from tsunami waves, as a wider picture begins to emerge of the destruction caused by the eruption of an undersea volcano

Despite huge volcano eruption, Tonga avoids widespread disaster

The blast from the volcano could be heard in Alaska, and the waves crossed the ocean to cause an oil spill. The startling satellite images resembled a massive nuclear explosion

Tonga govt confirms three deaths and destruction on outlying islands

In a statement, the prime minister's office confirmed the deaths of a 65-year-old woman on Mango Island and a 49-year-old man on Nomuka Island, in addition to a British national

80% power restored in Tonga's capital after volcanic eruptions

Around 80% of power has been restored in Tonga's capital city of Nuku'alofa, but internet connections remain disrupted after the violent volcanic eruption on January 14-15

Tonga volcanic eruption shockwaves felt in India too

The massive shockwaves due to the eruption of Hunga-Tonga-Hunga-Ha'apai in Tonga were also felt across India, meteorologists said on Monday.

Undersea volcano erupts in Pacific, West Coast under tsunami advisory

An undersea volcano erupted in spectacular fashion near the Pacific nation of Tonga on Saturday, sending large tsunami waves crashing across the shore and people rushing to higher ground.

Indonesian authorities raise Semeru volcano alert, fearing new eruption

Indonesian authorities raised the alert level for the highest volcano on Java island, saying Mount Semeru could blow up again.

After 3 tense months, Spain's Cumbre Vieja volcano eruption may be over

Residents on the Spanish island of La Palma dared to hope that their volcanic eruption is over after almost three months of unnerving daily explosions, earthquakes

22 dead as volcano erupts in Indonesia, search operations underway

The death toll from the eruption of Mount Semeru in Indonesia's East Java province has increased to 22, while search operations for 30 missing continued amid a potential of lava floods and hot clouds

Congo volcano eruption, ensuing chaos kill at least 15, destroy 500 homes

Torrents of lava poured into villages after dark in eastern Congo, leaving at least 15 people dead amid the chaos and destroying more than 500 homes, officials and survivors have said

The hottest property on the market comes with an active volcano in Iceland

Owning a private island is so passe. Get an active volcano instead

Alert level raised after explosion at remote volcano on Alaska Peninsula

A small explosion was recorded Thursday at a remote volcano on the Alaska Peninsula, prompting officials to raise the alert level