Volcanic activity worldwide 22 May 2023: Etna volcano, Popocatépetl, Semeru, Ibu, Dukono, Reventado…

Map of today’s active volcanoes

Etna (Sicily, Italy): (22 May) The unstable activity at the volcano continues over the past two weeks or so.
A new lava-fountaining episode (likely to be classified as paroxysm) took place from the Southeast Crater yesterday. Visibility of the eruptive phase was very limited due to dense clouds, but the Sentinel-3 satellite detected a huge grey ash plume showing an umbrella region as the top of the column. The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Toulouse (VAAC) reported spewing ash to an estimated 7 km altitude drifting towards the SW (INGV).
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Following the paroxysm eruption, a new lava flow started to overflow the Southeast Crater’s rim and descend over the western flanks. Due to poor weather conditions, the lava flow front’s current position was impossible to detect then. Later on, the observatory’s thermal surveillance cameras could catch glimpses of the lava flow.
Preceded to the eruption, the INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology) recorded another sharp spike in tremor at 05:20 local time yesterday. High values of amplitude ground vibrations continued by 09:35 local time when it decreased rapidly to average medium levels. The activity stabilized at about 10:00 local time. The tremor has been located beneath the Southeast Crater at an altitude 2500 meters. An infrasound analysis to localize an eruption corresponded to an area between the Voragine and Bocca Nuova craters.

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): (22 May) Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Tokyo (VAAC) issued the following report: ERUPTED AT 20230522/0225Z FL080 STNR OBS VA DTG:22/0220Z

Ibu (Halmahera, Indonesia): (22 May) Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Darwin warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 6000 ft (1800 m) altitude or flight level 060 .
The full report is as follows: VA TO FL060 OBS AT 22/0040Z MOV E OBS VA DTG:22/0040Z to 6000 ft (1800 m)

Semeru (East Java, Indonesia): (22 May) Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Darwin (VAAC) issued the following report: LOCALISED VA EMISION TO FL150 OBS AT 22/0130Z

Dukono (Halmahera): (22 May) Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Darwin warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 6000 ft (1800 m) altitude or flight level 060 .
The full report is as follows: VA TO FL060 OBS AT 22/0050Z MOV E OBS VA DTG:22/0110Z to 6000 ft (1800 m)

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 30000 ft (9100 m) altitude or flight level 300 and is moving at 20 kts in E direction.
The full report is as follows: MAJOR VA EMS CONT to 30000 ft (9100 m)
…22 May:
The alert status of the volcano was raised to „Level 3“, as the activity continues at high levels characterized by stronger-than-usual vulcanian-type explosions.
The decision about the alert status change was made by the Scientific Advisory Committee yesterday based on the ongoing volcano’s activity.
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The strong eruptive phase at the volcano continues by throwing a large amount of incandescent lava fragments from the summit crater onto the variously oriented slopes.
Grey ash-rich columns reached 32,000 ft (9,800 m) height and drifted E over the past 48 hours.

Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 21000 ft (6400 m) altitude or flight level 210 .
The full report is as follows: NEW VAM EMS to 21000 ft (6400 m)

Sangay (Ecuador): Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 19000 ft (5800 m) altitude or flight level 190 .
The full report is as follows: ONGOING VA EMS. to 19000 ft (5800 m)

Reventador (Ecuador): Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 15000 ft (4600 m) altitude or flight level 150 .
The full report is as follows: NEW VA EMS to 15000 ft (4600 m)

Sabancaya (Peru): Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Buenos Aires warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 24000 ft (7300 m) altitude or flight level 240 and is moving at 15 kts in SE direction.
The full report is as follows: INTERMITTENT EMISSIONS to 24000 ft (7300 m)

Nyamuragira (DRCongo): (22 May) The effusive eruption at the volcano continues and remains essentially unchanged at elevated levels.
The Observatoire Volcanologique de Goma (OVG) reported that the lava continues to keep the flow active on the western flank and slowly advances towards the volcano’s edifice.
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The night-time glow and near-constant emissions are being visible from Goma city.
The current activity poses no danger for population so far.

Volcano Activity Summary for 22 May 2023:

The new lava flow showed up traveling down the western flank from the SE Crater as the sky got cleared out (image: Il Mondo dei Terremoti)