Archived Volcano News - John Seach
December 2012

Reports are posted in Eastern Australian Time (UT +10 hr).
Archived Volcano News

Thursday 27th December 2012
Tolbachik Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia

Eruption continues at Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka with strong seismic activity on 25 December 2012. Satellite images show a large area of thermal activity.
More on Tolbachik Volcano...
Volcanoes of Kamchatka...

Thursday 27th December 2012
San Cristobal Volcano, Nicaragua

San Cristobal volcano, Nicaragua erupted on 25th December 2012, after increasing seismicity the previous day. Moderate explosions ejected ash and gas 2500 m above the crater. Light winds resulted in ashfall close to the volcano. Satellite images did not show a hotspot over the volcano. Ash emissions extended west to the Pacific Ocean.
More on San Cristobal Volcano...
Volcanoes of Nicaragua...

Monday 25th December 2012
Copahue Volcano, Chile/Argentina

Satellite images show sulphur dioxide plume from Copahue eruption reached Tristan da Cunha in the south Atlantic Ocean 2700 km ENE of the volcano on 24th December 2012.
More on Copahue Volcano...
Volcanoes of Chile...

Monday 24th December 2012
Ambae Volcano, Vanuatu

Satellite images showed a sulphur dioxide plume over Ambae volcano, Vanuatu on 24th December 2012, extending NW towards Espiritu Santo Island.
More on Ambae Volcano...
Volcanoes of Vanuatu...

Monday 24th December 2012
Copahue Volcano, Chile/Argentina

Strobolian eruptions to a height of 450 m are occurring at Copahue volcano. Crater glow is visible and eruption column was not higher than 1 km on 23 December 2012. An area of ash remains over the Atlantic Ocean. Aviation warning is RED.
More on Copahue Volcano...
Volcanoes of Chile...

Sunday 23rd December 2012
Copahue Volcano, Chile/Argentina

An eruption occurred at Copahue volcano on Chile/Argentina border on 22nd December 2012. Ash reached an altitude of 31,000 ft and extended 110 km southeast of the volcano.
More on Copahue Volcano...
Volcanoes of Chile...

Tuesday 18 December 2012
Tungurahua Volcano, Ecuador

Eruptions of Tungurahua volcano, Ecuador on 16th December created air waves which broke windows in nearby towns. Pyroclastic flows occurred on the upper flanks of the volcano. Ash emissions reached 3 km above the summit. The eruption was associated with new magma intrusion under the volcano.
More on Tungurahua Volcano...
Volcanoes of Ecuador...

Wednesday 12th December 2012
White Island Volcano, New Zealand

On 12th December 2012 the alert at White Island volcano, New Zealand was raised to level 2 after a 20-30 m wide spiny lava dome was observed in a small crater. Tour operators on the island had noticed the lava dome for about 2 weeks. The dome possibly started forming after the August 2012 ash eruption. This is the first time a lava dome has been observed at White Island volcano.
More on White Island Volcano...
Volcanoes of New Zealand...

Thursday 6th December 2012
Langila Volcano, Papua New Guinea

Volcanic ash emissions from Langila volcano, Papua New Guinea reached an altitude of 7000 ft and extended 60 nautical miles northwest on 6th December 2012, and satellite images showed a sulphur dioxide plume extending northwest. Langila is one of the most active volcanoes in the Bismarck arc. Volcanic activity at Langila typically consists of Strombolian-Vulcanian and Vulcanian eruptions and lava flows.
More on Langila Volcano...
Volcanoes of Papua New Guinea...

Tuesday 4th December 2012
Tolbachik Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia

Seismic activity has declined but the eruption continues at Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka. During the peak activity on 28-29 November 2012 the fissures spread over tens of kilometres, and the eruption was heard 60 kilometres away. The current eruption is similar to the Great Fissure eruption in 1975-76, but lower in intensity. A fissure 5 kilometres long has formed on the southern slope of the Plosky Tolbachik, in the same area as 36 years ago, but at a higher elevation – about two thousand metres above sea level. There are two active centres which are producing lava flows. A 10 kilometre long lava flow destroyed a monitoring station of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Vodopadny creek, as well as the Leningradskaya station of the institute. A base of the Volcanoes of Kamchatka natural park has also been destroyed in the same area. Ashfall was reported 65 kilometres from the volcano up to a depth of 4 cm. Eruptions at the upper fissure have stopped, but the lower fissure continues to be active. Tolbachik volcano is 343 kilometres south west of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
More on Tolbachik Volcano...
Volcanoes of Kamchatka...

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