NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) — A volcano north of Tonga’s main island has erupted eight times in the past 48 hours, according to the Pacific nation’s geological service, which has warned mariners to keep their distance Tuesday. The Home Reef volcano has been erupting for the past 10 days, oozing molten lava and shooting steam and ash at least three kilometers (almost two miles) into the air. Home Reef’s eruption currently poses a low risk to […]
Tag: eruption
Volcano ash blankets Philippine towns after second eruption this week
JUBAN, Philippines, June 12, 2022 (AFP) – A volcano in the Philippines spewed a huge column of ash into the sky on Sunday, blanketing a region still recovering from last week’s eruption. The blast from Bulusan volcano lasted 18 minutes, the Philippine seismological agency said, impairing road visibility and forcing airlines to cancel flights. On June 5, Mount Bulusan sent a grey plume shooting up at least one kilometre (0.6 miles) and covered 10 villages […]
Thousands flee after Taal volcano erupts
MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — Thousands of people were ordered to evacuate from their homes near a Philippine volcano Saturday after an eruption sent ash and steam hundreds of metres into the sky. Taal volcano, which sits in a lake south of Manila, exploded with a “short-lived” burst at 7:22 am (2322 GMT), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said in a statement. It warned further eruptions were possible, which it said could trigger […]
Alert level 3 raised over Taal following “nearly continuous phreatomagmatic activity”
PHIVOLCS “strongly recommends” evacuation from high-risk barangays of Bilibinwang, Banyaga, others (Eagle News) — The alert level over Taal has been raised to 3 following what the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said was “nearly continuous phreatomagmatic activity that generated plumes 1500 m accompanied by volcanic earthquake and infrasound signals.” According to PHIVOLCS, the phreatomagmatic activity followed a “short-lived phreatomagmatic burst.” With the raising of the alert level from alert level 2, PHIVOLCS said […]
Huge Tonga volcanic eruption caused ‘signifcant damage’
A massive volcanic eruption in Tonga that triggered tsunami waves around the Pacific caused “significant damage” to the island nation’s capital and smothered it in dust, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Sunday. The eruption Saturday was so powerful it was recorded around the world, triggering a tsunami that flooded Pacific coastlines from Japan to the United States. The capital Nuku’alofa suffered “significant” damage, Ardern said, adding there had been no reports of injury […]
Tsunami waves crash ashore in Tonga after powerful eruption
NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga, Jan 15, 2022 (AFP) – Large waves crashed ashore in Tonga Saturday after a massive volcanic eruption that was heard in neighbouring countries triggered the area’s second tsunami in as many days. “A 1.2 metre tsunami wave has been observed at Nukualofa,” Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology tweeted. The maximum tsunami wave recorded following Friday’s explosion was 30 centimetres. The latest eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano came just a few hours after […]
Indonesian volcano erupts again, spewing ash cloud
Indonesia’s mount Semeru erupted twice Thursday, belching a massive column of ash into the sky followed by a flow of lava that sent hundreds of rescuers fleeing in panic. The highest mountain on the island of Java erupted earlier this month, killing at least 48 and leaving a dozen people missing. Rescuers were digging through the mud and volcanic debris when ash — which reached 4.5 kilometres from the peak — and lava flow from […]
Indonesia volcano eruption death toll rises to 34
by Haeril Halim Agence France Presse CURAH KOBOKAN, Indonesia (AFP) — The death toll from the eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Semeru volcano rose to 34 on Tuesday, the national disaster agency said, as aid was rushed to the affected region. The mountain on the island of Java had thundered to life on Saturday, ejecting volcanic ash high into the sky and raining hot mud on villages as thousands of panicked people fled their homes. […]
Indonesia volcano erupts again, rescue operations suspended
by Haeril Halim LUMAJANG, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia’s Mount Semeru spewed more ash on Monday, forcing rescuers to suspend the search for survivors as aerial images showed the extent of the devastation unleashed by the volcano’s deadly weekend eruption. The biggest mountain on the island of Java thundered to life Saturday, ejecting a mushroom of volcanic ash high into the sky and raining hot mud as thousands of panicked people fled their homes. At least […]
Indonesia volcano death toll rises to 13
by Juni Kriswanto Agence France Presse LUMAJANG, Indonesia (AFP) — The death toll from a sudden, spectacular eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Semeru has risen to 13, disaster officials said Sunday, as rescuers searched villages blanketed in molten ash for survivors. The eruption of Java’s biggest mountain caught locals by surprise on Saturday, sending thousands fleeing its path of destruction and forcing hundreds of families into makeshift shelters. It left at least 11 villages of […]
Thousands flee as Indonesia’s Mount Semeru erupts
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia’s Mount Semeru erupted on Saturday, spewing out a tower of smoke and ash that plunged local communities into darkness and forced thousands of nearby residents to flee. There were no immediate reports of casualties, the country’s disaster mitigation agency said. But rescuers moved to evacuate local residents as lava reached nearby villages and destroyed a bridge in Lumajang regency in East Java. “A number of areas went dark after being […]
Japan’s Mount Aso volcano erupts
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s Mount Aso erupted Wednesday, spewing a giant column of ash thousands of metres into the sky as hikers rushed away from the popular tourist spot. No injuries were immediately reported after the late-morning eruption in southwest Japan, which sent rocks flying in a dramatic blast captured by nearby CCTV cameras. People were warned not to approach the volcano as it ejected hot gas and ash as high as 3,500 […]





