April 28, 2013 - WORLDWIDE VOLCANOES - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe.
Etna (Sicily, Italy): Activity is now increasing towards a new paroxysm from the New SE crater. Strong strombolian-type explosions, probably accompanied by effusion of small lava flows continued all night from the New SE crater and produced strong glow visible through the fog around the summit.
Rumblings were heard in nearby villages, but fog and clouds have been preventing detailed observations. The tremor has risen to high levels comparable with those during previous paroxysms, then decreased a bit and seems now to increase again. This pattern looks very similar to the 12 April paroxysm, one which was preceded by a long phase of very strong explosions, that culminated in lava fountaining only after the tremor had reached its peak.
Activity has continued to increase with near continuous strong
strombolian explosions from the New SE crater, but it seems that the
climax of the paroxysm with sustained lava fountains is yet to come,
possibly very soon. The tremor has reached higher levels than during
most of the previous paroxysms, but still rises.
Judging from the webcam images, lava fountains have now started, i.e.
the main phase of the paroxysm has begun. A denser plume is rising from
the New SE crater. Tremor continues to climb steeply. The 13th New SE crater paroxysm is occurring this evening.
Tall lava fountains rise from the central vent of the cone, and a lava flow has rapidly descended the slope into Valle del Bove. A dense tephra plume is rising several kilometers above the volcano and drifting to the NE where ash- and lapilli fall is occurring.
Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): An increase in activity occurred yesterday. Lava started to effuse from one or two vents at the base of and on the outer flank below the NE hornito. It is currently extending on the upper part of the Sciara and produces strong rockfalls that reach the sea.
The seismic signal shows increased tremor and continuous rockfalls on the Sciara, as well as large explosion signals at intervals of approx 15-30 minutes.
Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): Ash plumes rising to 7,000 ft (2.1) km elevation from relatively strong strombolian activity were reported both yesterday and today. (VAAC Darwin)
Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): The rate and size of explosions from the lava dome has risen a bit when compared to the previous week.
Some of the explosions, about 1-2 per hour, produce plumes almost 1 km high.
Pacaya (Guatemala): Weak strombolian activity from the Mackenney crater, well visible at night, continues and has been showing a gradual increase over the past days.
This is also evident from the seismic recording. Some explosions can be heard in up to 3 km distance.
Fuego (Guatemala): The effusive eruptive activity continues to increase slowly. Two branches of the lava flow advanced to 500 m length towards the Ceniza and 400 m length to the Taniluyá canyon. Rockfalls from the flow fronts produce incandescent avalanches that reach the vegetation line.
At the summit, strombolian activity has been weaker today, but continues with infrequent small explosion that eject bombs to 100 m height and produce small ash plumes.
Activity has been increasing. Continuous stronger tremor today suggests an increase in effusion rate today. In INSIVUMEH's report from yesterday, the new lava flow was 400 m long and produced small avalanches towards the Ash Canyon. The number of explosions rose to 17, producing gray ash plumes rising 600 m above the crater and drifting 8-10 km to the west and SW. They were accompanied by weak rumblings and locomotive-like degassing sounds. Incandescent material was seen rising 100-200 m at night.
Sangay (Ecuador): Brief ash emissions were reported observed through satellite yesterday around noon. Ash plumes rose to about 25,000 ft (7.6 km) altitude or about 2 km above the volcano.
There is no ground monitoring, and only rarely direct observations become available from the very remote and difficult-to-access volcano. It is likely that usually small strombolian-type activity has been going on in the summit crater for some time. This activity usually goes unnoticed, unless explosions occasionally increase and produce more significant ash plumes such as yesterday.
Complete Earthquake list (worldwide) for April 27, 2013.
- Volcano Discovery.
Etna (Sicily, Italy): Activity is now increasing towards a new paroxysm from the New SE crater. Strong strombolian-type explosions, probably accompanied by effusion of small lava flows continued all night from the New SE crater and produced strong glow visible through the fog around the summit.
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Lava fountains from the New SE crater (Etna Trekking webcam). |
Rumblings were heard in nearby villages, but fog and clouds have been preventing detailed observations. The tremor has risen to high levels comparable with those during previous paroxysms, then decreased a bit and seems now to increase again. This pattern looks very similar to the 12 April paroxysm, one which was preceded by a long phase of very strong explosions, that culminated in lava fountaining only after the tremor had reached its peak.
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View from Schiena dell'Asino (Etra Trekking webcam). |
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Tremor signal (ESLN station, INGV). |
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Located roughly 25 kilometers (15 miles) north-northwest of Sicily’s second-largest city, Mount Etna is a stratovolcano
composed of layers of rocks, lava, and volcanic ash left by earlier
eruptions. The summit reaches an altitude of 3,330 meters (10,925 feet)
above sea level. People have lived around Etna for millennia, so
scientists have one of the longest documented records of activity of any
volcano in the world—dating back to 1500 B.C. Image: NASA Earth Observatory. |
Tall lava fountains rise from the central vent of the cone, and a lava flow has rapidly descended the slope into Valle del Bove. A dense tephra plume is rising several kilometers above the volcano and drifting to the NE where ash- and lapilli fall is occurring.
Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): An increase in activity occurred yesterday. Lava started to effuse from one or two vents at the base of and on the outer flank below the NE hornito. It is currently extending on the upper part of the Sciara and produces strong rockfalls that reach the sea.
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This morning's seismic signal from Stromboli (ST8 station, INGV). |
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Thermal webcam image of the crater area of Stromboli (INGV). |
The seismic signal shows increased tremor and continuous rockfalls on the Sciara, as well as large explosion signals at intervals of approx 15-30 minutes.
Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): Ash plumes rising to 7,000 ft (2.1) km elevation from relatively strong strombolian activity were reported both yesterday and today. (VAAC Darwin)
Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): The rate and size of explosions from the lava dome has risen a bit when compared to the previous week.
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Eruption plume from Santiaguito yesterday morning. |
Some of the explosions, about 1-2 per hour, produce plumes almost 1 km high.
Pacaya (Guatemala): Weak strombolian activity from the Mackenney crater, well visible at night, continues and has been showing a gradual increase over the past days.
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Current seismogram from Pacaya (PCG station, INSIVUMEH). |
This is also evident from the seismic recording. Some explosions can be heard in up to 3 km distance.
Fuego (Guatemala): The effusive eruptive activity continues to increase slowly. Two branches of the lava flow advanced to 500 m length towards the Ceniza and 400 m length to the Taniluyá canyon. Rockfalls from the flow fronts produce incandescent avalanches that reach the vegetation line.
At the summit, strombolian activity has been weaker today, but continues with infrequent small explosion that eject bombs to 100 m height and produce small ash plumes.
![]() |
View of fire yesterday morning. |
Activity has been increasing. Continuous stronger tremor today suggests an increase in effusion rate today. In INSIVUMEH's report from yesterday, the new lava flow was 400 m long and produced small avalanches towards the Ash Canyon. The number of explosions rose to 17, producing gray ash plumes rising 600 m above the crater and drifting 8-10 km to the west and SW. They were accompanied by weak rumblings and locomotive-like degassing sounds. Incandescent material was seen rising 100-200 m at night.
Sangay (Ecuador): Brief ash emissions were reported observed through satellite yesterday around noon. Ash plumes rose to about 25,000 ft (7.6 km) altitude or about 2 km above the volcano.
There is no ground monitoring, and only rarely direct observations become available from the very remote and difficult-to-access volcano. It is likely that usually small strombolian-type activity has been going on in the summit crater for some time. This activity usually goes unnoticed, unless explosions occasionally increase and produce more significant ash plumes such as yesterday.
Complete Earthquake list (worldwide) for April 27, 2013.
- Volcano Discovery.