Between a Volcano and a Hard Place – MANAM (🇵🇬 P.N.G.)

Lava flow from near the top of Manam volcano. 09/2012 (© I. Itikarai, via mapio.net)

Ima Itikarai, RVO, on 29 January 2005:
“… it has been a very eventful week … Tavurvur resumed eruption on Monday evening and Manam produced another paroxysmal eruption on Thursday night … . Our observation post at Warisi village was wiped out completely by what is described as pyroclastic flow … . All our equipment was destroyed by the event. There were about 14 people at Warisi at the time of the eruption and all got injured while trying to escape …” (From “Fire Mountains of the Island”)

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Tin Can Island – Niuafo’ou Caldera, Tonga

Satellite photo of Niuafo’ou Volcano. Google Maps screen capture

TINAKULA

Tinakula volcano. (© Lance McC, date unknown but before 12/2009, via Panoramio)

Tinakula volcano of the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific ocean started an eruption on 21 October 2017. Whether or not the volcano is still erupting is everybody’s guess as no more official reports were issued after the 6th of November and satellite imagery is inconclusive. Update 17/11: GVP has just listed the eruption as lasting from 21 – 26 Oct. 2017, classified as a VEI=3. However, the reports have stated still ongoing explosions on Nov. 6, so, I expect there might be amendments later.

Two Too Tall Guys – ULAWUN & BAMUS, P.N.G.

On the volcanic front of the New Britain Island Arc: from left to right, Ulawun, Lolobau in the foreground, and Bamus volcanoes in New Britain. (© Richard Arculus, via Flickr)

Ulawun stratovolcano is a very steep and 2334 m-high mountain on the central-north coast of New Britain, P.N.G. Bamus stands 2248 m tall beside him, and both have a problem – they’re growing too high. Both Ulawun and Bamus are more than 400 m taller than all other stratovolcanoes in the 1000-km-long Bismarck Volcanic Arc. Given existing faults and scarps of historical events, concerns are that flank failure is in the cards for both volcanoes. Locally the three volcanoes Ulawun, Bamus (to the SW of U.) and Likuruanga (to the NE of U.) are better known as the “Father group”: After myths told by the Nakanai people these three are named Father, South Son and North Son.

Mt. LAMINGTON, 1951

Mt. Lamington cone, 30/01/1951. Looking up avalanche valley into open northern side of crater. (Fig. 3 from: T. Taylor, Mt. Lamington 1951 [1958, PDF])

I hope everyone had a great Christmas time and got at least one volcano book for present.  Now I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year with lots of time for reading your new book and other volcano stuff as, for example, the Volcano Hotspot blog 😉 – Lately, Bogoslof volcano has been doing great things, and while we wait for agimarc to come up with a treat for us on that volcano, lets have a look back to the year 1951.

BAGANA – Bougainville Island, P.N.G.

Mt. Bagana Volcano from Koiare Village, Torokina District, 01/2013 (© S. Basious, via Panoramio)

Perished in Style – Ritter Island, P.N.G.

Ritter Island, 9/2010 © John B. Dikaung (via Panoramio, Peter John Tate)

Was Kuwae a killer? Maybe, but we need to know more

Kuwae Caldera looking north to Epi Island – http://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=257070

“A Plume has been Seen in the Distance…” – Mount Pagan, Northern Mariana Islands

Approaching Pagan Island (cropped. © Michael Lusk via Flickr) If I am correct, this is the southern part of the island.