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Montserrat volcano restless (West Indies)
As of December
28, 2006, activity at the Langs Soufriere volcano has residents of Montserrat anxiously watching the smoking mountain.
The
island was put on high alert as large plumes of ash were seen leaving the volcano and climbing at times to an estimated 10
thousand feet into the air.
As a result of the activity, scientists have raised the alert level to Category Four.
According to a report ash venting began early on Saturday morning and continued throughout Sunday on the western side
of the dome.
Category Four is defined as "large unconfined dome actively growing towards the north or west or, large
dome with high levels of pyroclastic flow activity in other directions.
On January 31, 2007, per the Smithsonian, a 5,000 ft diverse plume fogged the
skies. Once the view cleared, a dome growing toward west side of the crater was observed.
Ecuador Volcanic Eruption!
Tungurahua volcano, in the Andes mountains, exploded on August 17,
2006, showering hot brillian rock and lava on nearby settlements. Many were burned and at least one person killed according
to early news reports on August 18. Intermittant blasts of ash and gas were reaching as high as five miles. Tungurahau
had been dormant for about 80 years before becoming active again in 1999. This is just another one of several volcanoes
along the Pacific Rim that have become more active in recent years
Volcano in the Phillippines at Level 4 (second highest):
On August 7, 2006 six explosions of ash soared about half a mile into
the air from the 8,118 foot Mayon volcano. The government extended and made permanent a danger zone of up to five miles
south of the volcano, and evacuations were underway. Lava has been flowing from the mountain since July 14, and there
has been an increase in harmonic tremors. Prior eruptions of note that have occurred include one in 1814, with about
1200 dead, and a 1993 eruption in which 79 people died.
Mt. St. Helens shows off:
On Monday, May 29, 2006 Mt. St. Helens shot steam and ashes over 16,000
feet into the air due to a disturbance in the crater.
This mountain in the State of Washington is over 8,300 feet high, and began
a new season of low-level seismic activity in September 2004, after a number of years of relative quiet. Prior
to that, a deadly eruption on May 18, 1980 killed 57 people and blasted about 1,300 feet off the then-9,677-foot peak.
Merapi Volcano - Indonesia
As of May 14 the Merapi volcano in Central Java, Indonesia
was belching out smoke and red-hot clouds of deadly gases, and apparently has begun erupting as of May 16.
At night, the clouds appeared red as they reflected the fiery magma. Glowing red pumice and stones shot into
the air and rumbled down the slopes. Scientists ordered evacuations of villagers from the slopes, but not all complied.
One Associated Press Photo by Ed Wray showed Indonesian men from Dukun carrying a large mound of rice on a cloth-covered stretcher,
in an effort "to appease" Mount Merapi. In 1994 a cloud of searing gas from the volcano burned about 60 people
to death.
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| Mud Mass from Undersea Volcano Near Iwo Jima |
Near Iwo Jima - Japan (July 2005)
Plumes of steam and vapor formed a column more than 3,000 feet tall off
the ocean's surface, from an underwater volcano. The eruption lifted a massive mud flat to the surface, and turned the
surface are red. The coast guard issue an international warning uring vessels to stay away from the area.
The location was about 30 miles from Iwo Jima, which is about 700 miles
southeast of Tokyo. While the volcano remains unnamed, the same general area erupted before in 1986 for three
days.
Mexico
City - Monday, May 30, 2005:
An explosion shook Mexico's Volcano
of Fire, sending a plume of ash and smoke three miles into the air and scattering hot rocks on the mountain's slopes.
It was the
largest eruption in 15 years at Mexico's most active volcano, said Carmen Seguara Rangel, coordinator of civil defense for
Mexico's Interior Department.
Segura
said officials had decided to expand an off-limits zone to 4.5 miles around the crater, though there were no evacuations at
the nearest communities, just beyond the new zone. (From wire reports)
Again
on Jun 07, 2005, Colima volcano erupted explosively
overnight, prompting the evacuation of a nearby town, Juan Barragan, civil defense authorities said Tuesday.
The volcano
has been known to be active for 500 years.
The volcano
exploded twice in 48 hours, officials said, once sending an enormous plume some 4,500 meters (15,000 feet) into the air.
The blast
set an all-time record in strength and altitude for Colima.
Authorities
imposed an exclusion perimeter of over 4 miles around the volcano.
[Summarized from news reports]
Other Volcanic Activity:
Previously we had reported that there were a total of eight volcanic areas showing
unusual activity. In another interesting note: On February 1, 2005 a contributor to the Elijah List claimed
another volcanic eruption would occur "soon" with a second one within a month thereafter. On March 5 it was reported
that an undersea eruption was occurring on the Juan de Fuca Ridge near Vancouver. On April 5 a volcano in the North
Marianna Islands sent up a 50,000 ft. plume of ash and smoke. All aircraft were ordered to stay at least 10 nautical
miles from that location. (The Elijah List is a web site that can be found at www.Elijahlist.com.)
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