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The map is designed to show Earth's most prominent features when viewed from a distance, and more detailed features upon closer inspection. The back of the map zooms in further, highlighting examples of fundamental processes, while providing text, timelines, references, and other resources to enhance understanding of this dynamic planet. The main and polar maps, above, are interactive, inviting you to make your own regional map, using whichever "layers" you choose. Data for any volcano, earthquake, or impact symbol can be found via the "Identify" tool.

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Most new crust forms at ocean ridge crests, is carried slowly away by plate movement, and is ultimately recycled deep into the earth�causing earthquakes and volcanism along the boundaries between moving tectonic plates. Oceans are continually opening (e.g., Red Sea, Atlantic) or closing (e.g., Mediterranean). Because continental crust is thicker and less dense than thinner, younger oceanic crust, most does not sink deep enough to be recycled, and remains largely preserved on land. Consequently, most continental bedrock is far older than the oldest oceanic bedrock (see back of map).

The earthquakes and volcanoes that mark plate boundaries are clearly shown on this map, as are craters made by impacts of extraterrestrial objects that punctuate Earth's history, some causing catastrophic ecological changes. Over geologic time, continuing plate movements, together with relentless erosion and redeposition of material, mask or obliterate traces of earlier plate-tectonic or impact processes, making the older chapters of Earth's 4,500-million-year history increasingly difficult to read. The recent activity shown on this map provides only a present-day snapshot of Earth's long history, helping to illustrate how its present surface came to be.

Both the front and back of this map illustrate the enormous recent growth in our knowledge of planet Earth. Yet, much remains unknown, particularly about the processes operating below the ever-shifting plates and the detailed geological history during all but the most recent stage of Earth's development.




Volcano

A volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a reservoir of molten rock below the surface of the earth. Unlike most mountains, which are pushed up from below, volcanoes are built up by an accumulation of their own eruptive products. When pressure from gases within the molten rock becomes too great, an eruption occurs. Eruptions can be quiet or explosive. There may be lava flows, flattened landscapes, poisonous gases, and flying rock and ash.

Because of their intense heat, lava flows are great fire hazards. Lava flows destroy everything in their path, but most move slowly enough that people can move out of the way.

Fresh volcanic ash, made of pulverized rock, can be abrasive, acidic, gritty, gassy, and odorous. While not immediately dangerous to most adults, the acidic gas and ash can cause lung damage to small infants, to older adults, and to those suffering from severe respiratory illnesses. Volcanic ash also can damage machinery, including engines and electrical equipment. Ash accumulations mixed with water become heavy and can collapse roofs. Volcanic ash can affect people hundreds of miles away from the cone of a volcano.

Sideways directed volcanic explosions, known as "lateral blasts," can shoot large pieces of rock at very high speeds for several miles. These explosions can kill by impact, burial, or heat. They have been known to knock down entire forests.

Volcanic eruptions can be accompanied by other natural hazards, including earthquakes, mudflows and flash floods, rock falls and landslides, acid rain, fire, and (under special conditions) tsunamis.

Active volcanoes in the U.S. are found mainly in Hawaii, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest. Active volcanoes of the Cascade Mountain Range in California, Oregon, and Washington have created problems recently. The danger area around a volcano covers approximately a 20-mile radius. Some danger may exist 100 miles or more from a volcano, leaving Montana and Wyoming at risk.

What is the history of volcanic eruptions where I live?

How can I protect myself from a volcanic eruption?

Find a Volcano by Region

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World Map of Volcanic Regions

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All of the base maps in this section, for the world and volcanic regions, were generated using ER Mapper.

Citation Guidelines for this electronic version of Volcanoes of the World.

Amazing Pictures of Chile Volcano Eruption!!

Situation Update No. 5
Posted:2011-06-13, 03:15:47 [UTC]
Ref.no.: VE-20110613-31121-ERI

Situation Update No. 5
On 2011-06-14 at 03:23:11 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Eruption
Location: Eritrea Eritrea-Ethiopia regions Anabro (Nabro) volcano
Situation: A number of flights in eastern Africa are facing disruption after a volcano erupted in the Southern Red Sea Region of Eritrea on early Monday morning, officials said. It is the first eruption in recent history. The eruption at the Nabro volcano began at around midnight local time on Monday (2100 GMT Sunday), according to the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) in Toulouse. It sent a large plume of ash up to 13 kilometers (8 miles) high. There were no immediate reports of casualties as a result of the eruption, according to the country's Ministry of Information, which said the explosive eruption could be heard throughout the region. A statement from the ministry said local residents have been evacuated. VAAC forecaster Thoumieux said the ash cloud is moving towards the west and high concentrations of ash were spread over parts of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Sudan by Monday evening. Low density concentrations of volcanic ash were also detected over a small part of Egypt. Thoumieux said he had briefed a number of airlines and other agencies about the ash cloud, which is expected to impact air traffic in the region. "I had conversations with the chief of operations of Dubai (Emirates), Air France, KLM, and so they want information and I say, perhaps it will be dangerous for your planes," the forecaster said.

The volcanic ash cloud is expected to remain over parts of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Sudan until at least early Tuesday morning. Low concentrations of volcanic ash are also expected to spread over a small part of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday morning, although those would unlikely impact air traffic. Lufthansa spokesman Marco Dall'Asta said the airline had canceled two routes on Monday because of the ash cloud. "We have very few destinations within this area," he said. "But we have canceled a flight from Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) to Asmara (Eritrea). This flight has been canceled for today. And we've also canceled a flight from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa, and that's all for the moment." The German airline said it did not yet know whether the flight disruptions would continue on Tuesday. "That's the news we have for today," he said. "We are in contact, observing the situation, in contact with the authorities, to figure out what's happening tomorrow." Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton decided to cut short her trip to neighboring Ethiopia because of the eruption. The U.S. State Department said there was a risk that Ethiopian authorities would shut down the country's main airport in Addis Ababa on Monday evening, which would otherwise prevent Clinton from leaving.

The VAAC earlier believed that the Dubbi volcano was erupting, but the center said on late Monday evening that the eruption was in fact taking place at the Nabro volcano. There have been no confirmed eruptions at the volcano in recent history.

An erupting Chilean volcano sent a towering plume of ash across South America on Monday

Situation Update No. 11
Posted:2011-06-04, 20:15:23 [UTC]
Ref.no.: VA-20110604-31011-MLC

Situation Update No. 11
On 2011-06-07 at 02:40:37 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Eruption
Location: MultiCountries Chile and Argentina Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex (PCCVC)
Number of Evacuated: 3500 person(s)

Situation: An erupting Chilean volcano sent a towering plume of ash across South America on Monday, forcing thousands from their homes, grounding airline flights in southern Argentina and coating ski resorts with a gritty layer of dust instead of snow.Booming explosions echoed across the Andes as toxic gases belched up from a three-mile-long (five-kilometer long) fissure in the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcanic complex – a ridge between two craters just west of the Chilean-Argentine border that began erupting Saturday. Winds blew a six-mile-high (10-kilometer-high) cloud of ash all the way to the Atlantic Ocean and even into southern Buenos Aires province, hundreds of miles to the northeast. Authorities in Chile went house to house, trying to persuade stragglers near the volcano to leave because of an increasing danger of toxic gas and flash floods. By Monday, about 4,000 people had been evacuated from more than 22 communities. They began fleeing as swarms of earthquakes Saturday heralded the eruption and hundreds more fled Monday to shelters farther away. Some refused to leave, wanting to protect their homes and livestock. Chile's verdant lakes region is a center for dairy farming, with more than 9,000 cows and sheep. Deputy Interior Minister Rodrigo Ubilla said about 50 families in the Rininahue area refused to abandon their homes. "Everything is prepared with shelter and transportation for them to immediately leave the danger zone," added Vicente Nunez, director of Chile's emergency preparedness office, urging them to leave.

Just north of the complex of volcanoes, the city of Futrono and the communities of Lago Ranco and Entre Rios were particularly vulnerable to flash floods. Some people also refused to leave Mantilhue, along the Rio Bueno, or "Good River," just six miles (10 kilometers) from the eruption. And while the evacuation order wasn't yet mandatory, a group of Mapuche Indians said they would seek the regional governor's authorization to enter the area to pray for the volcano to stop erupting. Enrique Valdivieso, the director of Chile's National Geology and Mines Service, said the fissure was belching toxic gases and material that could clog rivers and force them to overflow. Spectacular displays of lightning flashed in the volcanic clouds during the weekend, and while the amount of ash falling east of the volcano subsided significantly by Monday, experts said it was too early to predict how long it will take before the volcano falls silent. Volcanic dust coated ski slopes above San Carlos de Bariloche and Villa la Angostura two weeks before the official start of the winter skiing season. The resorts' trade group said it was too early to say how it would affect the local economy, but for now, residents were told to stay indoors and tourists were asked not to come.

The Cordon Caulle is nearly 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) south of Santiago, in Chile's lakes region, just west of Bariloche. Authorities went on alert before the eruption Saturday when as many as 240 tremors an hour struck the region. The volcano's last major eruption was in 1960, shortly after a 9.5 magnitude earthquake, the most powerful in recorded history, struck Chile. Some scientists have said that last year's 8.8 quake in Chile increased the likelihood of volcanic activity due to shifts in pressure along the Earth's tectonic plates. The ash cloud first blew over Argentina and then circled back over Chile on Sunday. By Monday, however, prevailing winds had spread the ash eastward as far as Bahia Blanca, in southern Buenos Aires province on the Argentine coast. During the weekend, the volcano spat out pumice rocks nearly eight inches (20 centimeters) in diameter. Because airborne ash can severely damage jet engines, all flights between Buenos Aires and the Andean resorts of Bariloche, Esquel and Chapelco were canceled until June 12. Seven other airports in Argentina were closed through Thursday, effectively isolating the southern Patagonia region from the rest of the country. Aerolineas Argentinas also cancelled nighttime flights well to the north of the volcanos, from Buenos Aires to Santiago, Chile, and Mendoza, Argentina, as a precaution. LAN airlines suspended more than 35 flights from Chile to southern Argentina, and some highways in Argentina also were closed.

Across Argentina's southern midsection, schools were closed, routine government work was suspended and elective surgery were canceled as well. Also closed was the nearby border crossing of Cardenal Samore, where a twisting mountain road climbs through stunning arid valleys on the Argentina side before dropping through lush green forests and fields in Chile. Even when skies cleared in places Monday, the area was draped in an abrasive gray blanket. The 11-mile-long (17-kilometer-long) Cordon Caulle rises 5,900-feet (1,800 meters) above sea level between the Pueyehue and Nevada volcanoes, above a connected complex of molten rock. Chile has more than 3,000 volcanoes along its Andean spine, and 500 of these are considered geologically active. About 60 Of these have erupted in the last 450 years.
Situation Update No. 7
Posted:2011-06-04, 20:15:23 [UTC]
Ref.no.: VA-20110604-31011-MLC

Situation Update No. 7
On 2011-06-05 at 03:44:33 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Eruption
Location: MultiCountries Chile and Argentina Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex (PCCVC)
Number of Evacuated: 3500 person(s)

Situation:
The Puyehue volcano began erupting Saturday in southern Chile, leading the government to widen its evacuation order so that the approximately 3,500 people living near it are moved elsewhere, just hours after decreeing a red alert due to the intense seismic activity in the area. “We’re in an episode of significant volcanic activity. We have a column of smoke now 10 kilometers (6 miles) high. We even have news that it has reached Argentina,” Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter said. Meanwhile, the governor of the Los Rios region, Juan Andres Varas, said on Cooperativa radio that in nearby towns there is a strong “smell of sulfur and ash,” and from there can be seen a “crater of fire and a column of smoke.” Puyehue, some 2,240 meters (7,344 feet) high, is located in the Andes and its last eruption took place in 1960, the year that the same area was shaken by a magnitude-9.5 earthquake, the strongest ever registered anywhere in the world. This volcano forms part of the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcanic complex, which extends 15 kilometers (9 miles) between the regions of Los Lagos and Los Rios, some 950 kilometers (590 miles) south of the capital, in an area with few inhabitants.

The government had decreed a red alert just three hours previously, and had ordered the evacuation of some 600 people from both regions because of the risk of eruption, given that the area had reached the point of registering an average of 230 temblors an hour. When the volcano erupted, the administration decided to widen the area to be evacuated, though only in the Los Rios region, which would mean moving a total of 3,600 people. According to Hinzpeter, this process, for which the army has made a number of trucks available, is being carried out with complete normality. “We hope that in the process...we continue to have the collaboration of our fellow countrymen,” he said. Also ordered was the temporary closure of the Cardenal Samore border post in order to evacuate the people working there. Those wanting to cross over into Argentina can use the pass farther north at Pino Hachado.

Chile volcano eruption forces mass evacuation

Chile volcano eruption forces mass evacuation

Winds fanned ash from Chile's Puyehue volcano towards neighbouring Argentina, prompting mass evacuation [Reuters]
A volcano dormant for decades has erupted in south-central Chile, spewing ash to the height of 10 kilometres into the sky, and prompting the government to evacuate several thousand residents, authorities said.

Winds spread the ash towards neighbouring Argentina, darkening the sky in the ski resort city of San Carlos de Bariloche, a government official there said on Saturday, adding the city's airport had been closed.

The eruption in the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcanic chain, about 920km south of the capital, Santiago, also
prompted Chilean authorities to shut a heavily travelled border crossing into Argentina.

'Constant seismic activity'

It was not immediately clear which of the chain's four volcanoes had erupted because of ash cover and weather conditions. The chain last saw a major eruption in 1960. Local media said the smell of sulfur hung in the air and there was constant seismic activity.

"The Cordon Caulle [volcanic range] has entered an eruptive process, with an explosion resulting in a 10-kilometre-high gas column," ONEMI, the state emergency office, said. The government said it was evacuating 3,500 people from the surrounding area as a precaution.

It was the latest in a series of volcanic eruptions in Chile in recent years.
Chile's Chaiten volcano erupted spectacularly in 2008 for the first time in thousands of years, spewing molten rock and a vast cloud of ash that reached the stratosphere. The ash also swelled a nearby river and ravaged a nearby town of the same name.

The ash cloud from Chaiten coated towns in Argentina and was visible from space.

Chile's Llaima volcano, one of South America's most active, erupted in 2008 and 2009.

Chile's chain of about 2,000 volcanoes is the world's second largest after Indonesia. About 50 to 60 are on
record as having erupted, and 500 are potentially active.
Situation Update No. 3
Posted:2011-05-22, 02:09:17 [UTC]
Ref.no.: VE-20110522-30830-ISL

Situation Update No. 3
On 2011-05-22 at 03:15:23 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Eruption
Location: Iceland Vatnajökull glacier Grímsvötn Volcano
Situation: A lot of ash has been falling around the Vatnajokull glacier and nearby towns this evening. It is expected to continue through the night and maybe into tomorrow, according to Icelandic Met Office geologist, Hjorleifur Sveinbjornsson. The ash is much coarser than that which came from Eyjafjallajokull last year. Sveinbjornsson told mbl.is that there has been little change in the eruption since it began and that ash is falling on the towns of Kirkjubaerklaustur and Hofn i Hornafirdi — as well as nearby farms. He added that the volcano is a basalt eruption and that it is a good thing that the ash is less fine than last year; which will prevent it from spreading so far. The eruption seems to be taking place very near to the site of the 2004 volcano. Sveinbjornsson says that there was very little warning of an eruption today: no warning at all at 17.00 as he was preparing to go home from his shift. At 17.30 it was clear that something was happening; and then earthquakes at 18.00 confirmed suspicions. Residents of local towns and farms reported visual confirmation of the eruption at 19.00. It seems the lava did not have much ice to melt through, as the ash cloud was very quick to form. The sizeable ash cloud can be seen from far and wide — and has even been seen from Reykjavik. Grimsvotn is in the Vatnajokull National park, which is the biggest national park in Europe. The famous Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon is also in the park and is being affected by the ash cloud. Mila provides a free webcam of Jokulsarlon here. At the time of writing the camera was showing a completely black screen — despite the fact that it no longer gets completely dark at night time at this time of year.
Situation Update No. 2
Posted:2011-05-22, 02:09:17 [UTC]
Ref.no.: VE-20110522-30830-ISL

Situation Update No. 2
On 2011-05-22 at 02:52:00 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Eruption
Location: Iceland Vatnajökull glacier Grímsvötn Volcano
Situation: It has been confirmed that Grimsvotn volcano underneath the Vatnajokull glacier in southeast Iceland has begun erupting. A plume of ash is visible, which has led scientists to confirm earlier reports of an eruption. Vidir Reynisson at the public safety unit of the Icelandic police says it is too early to tell how big an eruption it will be, although it shows signs of being bigger than the last one in 2004. Earthquake activity began in the area at 18.00 this evening (local time) — which was taken as a clear sign of an imminent eruption. The emergency co-ordination centre at Skogarhlid in Reykjavik is in operation. Grimsvotn is a large volcano buried under glacial ice. It erupts regularly, the last time in 2004. At the time, aviation was directed away from the ash; but there was no major disruption. Grimsvotn has never caused any major delays or cancellations to international air traffic — unlike the bigger Eyjafjallajokull eruption last year. The 2004 eruption and the one in 1998 both lasted around a week. Authorities have set up a no fly zone over the volcano this evening. It stretches 120 nautical miles in all directions. There are no delays or cancellations to flights into and out of Iceland and international aviation is easily able to fly around the volcano zone. A joklahlaup is expected some time tomorrow, whereby the pressure of melted water literally lifts the glacier to release a huge and sudden flood. Such events are usual when Grimsvotn erupts and south Iceland infrastructure is built to cope with it. Road closures are somewhat likely and can be followed on www.vegagerdin.is. Vegagerdin has already decided to close the Route 1 highway near the glacier in preparation — and because visibility is extremely poor due to the ash. The ash cloud has already risen to some 45,000 feet.
Situation Update No. 1
Posted:2011-05-22, 02:09:17 [UTC]
Ref.no.: VE-20110522-30830-ISL

Situation Update No. 1
On 2011-05-22 at 02:17:07 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Eruption
Location: Iceland Vatnajökull glacier Grímsvötn Volcano
Situation: Iceland's most active volcano has started erupting, scientists said Saturday — just over a year after another eruption on the North Atlantic island shut down European air traffic for days. Iceland's Meteorological Office confirmed that an eruption had begun at the Grimsvotn volcano, accompanied by a series of small earthquakes. Smoke could be seen rising from the volcano, which lies under the uninhabited Vatnajokull glacier in southeast Iceland. A no fly zone has been designated for 120 nautical miles (220 kilometers) in all directions from the eruption. Isavia, the company that operates and develops all airport facilities and air navigation services in Iceland, described this as standard procedure around eruptions. "The plume of smoke has reached jet flying altitude and plans have been made for planes flying through Icelandic air control space to fly southwardly tonight," said Hjordis Gudmundsdottir, the spokeswoman for Isavia. Grimsvotn last erupted in 2004. Scientists have been expecting a new eruption and have said previously that this volcano's eruption will likely be small and should not lead to the air travel chaos caused in April 2010 by ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. History shows that previous eruptions in Grimsvotn have not had much influence on flight traffic — unlike the massive disruption caused last year.

Pall Einarsson, geophysicist at the University of Iceland, said last year's eruption was a rare event. "The ash in Eyjafjallajokull was persistent or unremitting and fine-grained," Einarsson said. "The ash in Grimsvotn is more coarse and not as likely to cause danger as it falls to the ground faster and doesn't stay as long in the air as in the Eyjafjallajokull eruption." A plane from the Icelandic Coast Guard carrying experts from the University of Iceland will fly over the volcano and evaluate the situation. One eyewitness, Bolli Valgardsson, said the plume rose quickly several thousand feet (meters) into the air. Sparsely populated Iceland is one of the world's most volcanically active countries and eruptions are frequent. Eruptions often cause local flooding from melting glacier ice, but rarely cause deaths. Last year's Eyjafjallajokul eruption left some 10 million air travelers stranded worldwide after winds pushed the ash cloud toward some of the world's busiest airspace and led most northern European countries to ground all planes for five days. Whether widespread disruption occurs again will depend on how long the eruption lasts, how high the ash plume rises and which way the wind blows. In November, melted glacial ice began pouring from Grimsvotn, signaling a possible eruption. That was a false alarm but scientists have been monitoring the volcano closely ever since. The volcano also erupted in 1998, 1996 and 1993. The eruptions have lasted between a day and several weeks.

2011-05-22 02:11:09 - Volcano Eruption - Iceland

!!! WARNING !!!
EDIS Code: VE-20110522-30830-ISL
Date&Time: 2011-05-22 02:11:09 [UTC]
Continent: Europe
Country: Iceland
State/Prov.: Vatnajökull glacier,
Location: Grímsvötn Volcano,
City:
Not confirmed information!
Event location map
Description:
Iceland's most active volcano erupted on Saturday, hurling a plume of ash and smoke far into the sky, which aviation officials were closely monitoring after another volcano shut European airspace for days last year . Authorities banned flights close to the Grimsvotn volcano but an official said the eruption was not expected to affect European airline traffic at least for the next 24 hours. The plume from the Grimsvotn volcano shot 20 km (12 miles) into the sky. The website of newspaper Morgunbladid said the eruption was more powerful than its last in 2004. "We have closed the area until we know better what effect the ash will have," said Hjordis Gudmundsdottir, spokeswoman for the Isavia civil aviation authority which has imposed a flight ban of 120 nautical miles around the area. Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull caused chaos when it erupted in April last year. Authorities halted flights due to fears that dust and ash would get into aircraft engines and cause accidents after the cloud was blown into European air traffic lanes. Grimsvotn lies under the Vatnajokull glacier in southeast Iceland, the largest glacier in Europe. When it last erupted in 2004 transatlantic flights had to be re-routed south of Iceland, but no airports were closed.

Gudmundsdottir said the winds in the area were strong and that Isavia and the Icelandic meteorological office were coordinating with Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAAC), which advise airlines about the movement of clouds of volcanic ash. There are two VAACs near Iceland, in London and the French city of Toulouse. "It can be a big eruption, but it is unlikely to be like last year," Icelandic Met Office geologist Hjorleifur Sveinbjornsson told Reuters, referring Eyjafjallajokull. He said the plume from Grimsvotn was going to the north and that the office's forecast for the next 24 hours was that ash would not affect European airline traffic. The volcano could erupt for several days, he added. One positive factor for air traffic was that the ash from this eruption was heavier, whereas the ash last year was lighter and so drifted further.

Domestic airline Icelandair said no traffic had been affected. "We do not expect the Grimsvotn eruption to affect air traffic to and from the country in any way," said Icelandair communications director Gudjon Arngrimsson. Pictures on local media websites showed a thick cloud of white smoke like a mushroom cloud over surrounding mountains. "Grimsvotn is a very powerful volcano, so we're monitoring it closely, even if the last few eruptions have been harmless," University of Iceland geophysicist Pall Einarsson was quoted as saying on the website of Morgunbladid. "We do not expect this to be a big one as it's coming from the same crater as the last three eruptions, which were all small," he added.
Posted:2011-05-22 02:11:09 [UTC]
Situation Update No. 4
Posted:2011-04-27, 03:13:21 [UTC]
Ref.no.: VE-20110427-30486-ECU

Situation Update No. 4
On 2011-05-02 at 19:19:26 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Eruption
Location: Ecuador Cordillera Oriental Tungurahua volcano
Number of Evacuated: 300 person(s)

Situation: Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano hurled truck-sized pyroclastic boulders more than a mile Friday in a powerful eruption that prompted at least 300 people to flee their homes, authorities said. Schools were closed for a third straight day as ash showered down on a dozen towns in the sparsely populated area surrounding the 16,480-foot (5,023-meter) volcano. Thundering explosions could be heard miles from Tungurahua, which is on the Andes cordillera 84 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of Ecuador's capital, Quito. A state Geophysics Institute scientist monitoring the volcano from a nearby observation post said by phone that incandescent boulders were landing up to 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) beneath crater level. "The smallest blocks are that size of an automobile while the biggest reach the size of a truck, which cause impact craters up to 10 meters (33 feet) wide as they hit the flanks," the scientist, Silvana Hidalgo, said. She called the eruption level "moderate to high."

cent months the seismic network at Tungurahua

20 April-26 April 2011
On 22 April, IG reported that in recent months the seismic network at Tungurahua detected volcano-tectonic earthquakes, indicating increased pressure in the volcano. Deformation of the NW quadrant that began in early February was slow but continuous, and then accelerated during the previous nine days. On 21 April gas-and-ash plumes caused fine ashfall in Choglontús and Cahuají (8 km SW), Pillate (8 km W), Cotaló (8 km NW), Juive (7 km NNW), and Baños (8 km N). Strombolian activity was seen at night, producing small lava fountains and incandescent blocks that rolled 1 km down the flanks. Roaring was heard and a few explosions occurred during 21-22 April. IG recommended that residents do not go within 3 km of Tungurahua's crater. On 26 April six explosions were detected and constantly-generated ash plumes rose to an altitude of 12 km (39,400 ft) a.s.l. Plumes drifted W and NW, causing steady ashfall in areas downwind. Structures vibrated in surrounding areas, including in Baños.
Source: Instituto Geofísico-Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG)

Ecuador Cordillera Oriental Tungurahua volcano

Situation Update No. 3
Posted:2011-04-27, 03:13:21 [UTC]
Ref.no.: VE-20110427-30486-ECU

Situation Update No. 3
On 2011-04-30 at 02:32:17 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Eruption
Location: Ecuador Cordillera Oriental Tungurahua volcano
Number of Evacuated: 300 person(s)

Situation: Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano hurled truck-sized pyroclastic boulders more than a mile Friday in a powerful eruption that prompted at least 300 people to flee their homes, authorities said. Schools were closed for a third straight day as ash showered down on a dozen towns in the sparsely populated area surrounding the 16,480-foot (5,023-meter) volcano. Thundering explosions could be heard miles from Tungurahua, which is on the Andes cordillera 84 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of Ecuador's capital, Quito. A state Geophysics Institute scientist monitoring the volcano from a nearby observation post said by phone that incandescent boulders were landing up to 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) beneath crater level. "The smallest blocks are that size of an automobile while the biggest reach the size of a truck, which cause impact craters up to 10 meters (33 feet) wide as they hit the flanks," the scientist, Silvana Hidalgo said. She called the eruption level "moderate to high." Civil defense officials reported an intense shower of ash east of the volcano, including in Banos, a tourist destination three miles (five kilometers) away that is popular for its hot springs. The volcano has been active since 1999. At least four people were killed and thousands evacuated in eruptions in July and August of 2006.

Volcano Erupts in Ecuador

Volcano Erupts in Ecuador

The Tungurahua Volcano, some 85 miles southeast of Quito, has been active since 1999.

Image 1 of 7
Tungurahua 
Photo
Country:Ecuador
Subregion Name:Ecuador
Volcano Number:1502-08=
Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
Volcano Status:Historical
Summit Elevation: 5023 m 16,479 feet
Latitude: 1.467°S 1°28'1"S
Longitude: 78.442°W 78°26'30"W

Tungurahua, a steep-sided andesitic-dacitic stratovolcano that towers more than 3 km above its northern base, is one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes. Three major volcanic edifices have been sequentially constructed since the mid-Pleistocene over a basement of metamorphic rocks. Tungurahua II was built within the past 14,000 years following the collapse of the initial edifice. Tungurahua II itself collapsed about 3000 years ago and produced a large debris-avalanche deposit and a horseshoe-shaped caldera open to the west, inside which the modern glacier-capped stratovolcano (Tungurahua III) was constructed. Historical eruptions have all originated from the summit crater. They have been accompanied by strong explosions and sometimes by pyroclastic flows and lava flows that reached populated areas at the volcano's base. Prior to a long-term eruption beginning in 1999 that caused the temporary evacuation of the city of Baños at the foot of the volcano, the last major eruption had occurred from 1916 to 1918, although minor activity continued until 1925.

1373 People Evacuated from Province of Batangas (Luzon) Taal Volcano

Situation Update No. 14
On 2011-04-17 at 14:46:36 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Activity
Location: Philippines Province of Batangas (Luzon) Taal Volcano
Number of Evacuated: 1373 person(s)

Situation: Philippine authorities said on Sunday more people had been evacuated from towns and villages near a volcano island close to the capital amid increasing signs of seismic activity. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the number evacuated had increased to 1,375 as of Saturday from four towns near Taal volcano, while seismologists recorded 10 volcanic earthquakes overnight. Water temperatures and gas emissions also increased, seismologists said. 'This large rise in CO2 (carbon dioxide) concentration indicates gas release from the magma at depth,' the council said. It advised the public to stay away from hiking trails on the scenic island because of the possibility of explosions. 'Breathing air with (a) high concentration of gases can be lethal to humans, animals and may even cause damage to vegetation,' it added.

Phillipines Province of Batangas (Luzon) Taal Volcano

Ref.no.: VA-20110401-30140-PHL

Situation Update No. 12
On 2011-04-16 at 02:37:42 [UTC]

Event: Volcano Activity
Location: Philippines Province of Batangas (Luzon) Taal Volcano
Situation: State volcanologists on Saturday recorded a "noticeable" increase in seismic activity from Taal Volcano in Batangas, but said there is no reason to raise the alert level there, at least for now. Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum Jr. said this means an eruption is possible but there is no definite timetable. "May 20 quakes for the last 24 hours. Ang ating sinasabi baka tumuloy sa eruption pero walang time frame pa," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said Alert Level 2 remains on Taal, adding that raising the alert level to "3" will indicate a possible eruption in "days to weeks," while raising it to "4" will indicate a possible eruption in "hours to days." Phivolcs' Taal bulletin said water temperature at the Main Crater Lake slightly increased from 29.8 to 30.1 degrees Celsius. In its earlier interpretation of Taal's activities, Phivolcs said magma has been intruding towards the surface, as manifested by carbon dioxide being released in the Main Crater Lake and increase in seismic activity. Meanwhile, Solidum reminded the public the Main Crater, Daang Kastila Trail and Mt. Tabaro are strictly off-limits because sudden hazardous steam-driven explosions may occur and high concentrations of toxic gases may accumulate. According to a Phivolcs advisory, breathing air with high concentration of gases can be lethal to human, animals and even cause damage to vegetation. Also, it reminded the public the entire Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and permanent settlement in the island is strictly not recommended.