Are there Volcanoes in FIJI 🇫🇯 ?

(https://www.tourismfiji.com)

When the news reported multiple volcanoes erupting in Vanuatu – when new volcanoes appeared near Tonga Islands – when earthquakes shook most of Melanesia left right and center – I have often wondered if, or why, there are no volcanoes on the Fiji Islands? Well, you probably guess the answer – of course there are! They are just not very busy at the moment, so they may escape our attention, and may lull the residents in false security, too. The three that are mentioned by the GVP are Taveuni and Koro Islands, and Nabukelevu which occupies the SW end of Kadavu Island.

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Rabaul Caldera – a Most Dangerous System

Tavurvur eruption in Rabaul Caldera. Image courtesy Mountain Forecast.com. https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Rabaul-caldera

Activity Continues at Langila, New Britain, PNG

Langila Volcano. Crater 3 is to the right. Image taken in 1970. Courtesy Smithsonian GVP. https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=252010

TINAKULA 🇸🇧 – New Photos & Update

(© Ryszard Chajęcki, R/V Petrel)

In our post about Tinakula’s October 2017 eruption I wrote: “This island is so remote that exiting news of an eruption may come through within a few days, but we will probably never learn when, how, or if at all the eruption has ended.”

Well, officially the eruption seems to have ended on 26 October 2017, as listed by the GVP. However, National Situation Reports by the NDMO appeared up into the first week of November; a volcanic assessment on Tinakula on Nov. 5 showed numerous eruptions

The July 2012 Eruption of Havre Seamount, Kermadec Islands, NZ

Initial photo of Havre pumice raft taken by Maggie de Grauw. There was a second patch visible that she was unable to get a photo of due to angles of sight and sunlight. Photo courtesy Stuff. http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/8402949/Chance-holiday-snap-alerts-scientists-to-discovery

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”)

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.