Volcanic activity worldwide 18 Jul 2023: Santiaguito volcano, Fuego, Semeru, Lokon-Empung, Reykjanes…

Map of today’s active volcanoes

Eldey (Reykjanes Ridge, Iceland): (18 Jul) The eruptive site will be open again.
According to the hiking map, the trailhead (blue) starts at the road close to Grindavik, dubbed as ‚E‘. Please, keep in mind, the trail is 10 km one-way and tourists are recommended to bring proper outdoor gear such as clothes, food, headlamp etc.

Fagradalsfjall (Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland): (18 Jul) The eruptive site will be open again.
According to the hiking map, the trailhead (blue) starts at the road close to Grindavik, dubbed as ‚E‘. Please, keep in mind, the trail is 10 km one-way and tourists are recommended to bring proper outdoor gear such as clothes, food, headlamp etc.

Reykjanes (Reykjanes peninsula (SW Iceland)): (18 Jul) The eruptive site will be open again.
According to the hiking map, the trailhead (blue) starts at the road close to Grindavik, dubbed as ‚E‘. Please, keep in mind, the trail is 10 km one-way and tourists are recommended to bring proper outdoor gear such as clothes, food, headlamp etc.

Ebeko (Paramushir Island): (17 Jul) Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Tokyo (VAAC) issued the following report: ERUPTION AT 20230717/1828Z FL130 EXTD SW REPORTED OBS VA DTG:17/2030Z

Suwanose-jima (Ryukyu Islands): Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Tokyo (VAAC) issued the following report: ERUPTED AT 20230718/1942Z FL070 EXTD E OBS VA DTG:18/1940Z

Mayon (Luzon Island, Philippines): Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Tokyo (VAAC) issued the following report: ERUPTION AT 20230718/1544Z FL090 REPORTED OBS VA DTG:18/1800Z

Semeru (East Java, Indonesia): (17 Jul) Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Darwin (VAAC) issued the following report: VA REPORTED TO FL140 AT 17/2225Z EST VA DTG:17/2330Z

Lokon-Empung (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): (18 Jul) The activity at the volcano remains elevated.
During the 1-16 July observation period, the ongoing heavy emissions of steam-gas-laden plumes have been in progress at the volcano’s summit vent, which have reached a height of about 25-350 meters, sometimes 500 meters in maximum above the crater.
… [read more] … [show less]
Earthquakes had been more frequent since 13 June. Seismic recordings detected about 250 volcano-tectonic earthquakes and 13 tremor events with an amplitude of 0.5-4 mm during the investigated period. The maximum amplitude of a seismic signal with 16 mm so far was registered at noon yesterday.
Based on these observations, the PVMBG local institute made a decision to raise the alert level for the volcano to Level III (Alert).

Ahyi (United States, Mariana Islands): (18 Jul) Consistent signs of unrest at Ahyi undersea volcano have not occurred for over four weeks. Underwater pressure sensors near Wake Island have not detected clear signs of underwater volcanic activity since early June and the last satellite observations of discolored water near the seamount was seen on May 22, 2023.
Starting mid-October 2022, hydroacoustic sensors at Wake Island, 1,410 miles (2,270 km) east of Ahyi, began recording signals consistent with activity from an undersea volcanic source. In collaboration with the Laboratoire de Geophysique in Tahiti, a combined analysis of the hydroacoustic signals and data from seismic stations located at Guam and Chichijima Island, Japan, confirmed that the source of this activity was at or near Ahyi seamount. Observations of discolored water above the seamount in satellite data confirmed activity at Ahyi. The activity appears to have paused beginning in early April but briefly resumed in late May.
… [read more] … [show less]
Due to the apparent absence of activity over the last month, the aviation color code is being lowered from YELLOW to UNASSIGNED and the alert level is being lowered from ADVISORY to UNASSIGNED.

Shishaldin (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): The activity at the volcano has been intensifying over the past hours and is still continuing at the time of this update.
The effusive eruption has been picking up within the summit crater at around 01:00 local time tonight caused by an increased surge of magma in the conduit and resulting in a lava flow from the cinder cone. No significant ash emissions have been observed that time. The activity was detected on regional infrasound arrays, increasing seismic tremor, and elevated surface temperatures in satellite data. Overnight webcam images confirmed glowing from the summit with only minor ash emission.
… [read more] … [show less]
The situation has changed to a relatively dramatic activity as it was getting worsened at 07:00 local time this morning by an increasingly expanding ash plume spreading in the S-Se direction. According to the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Anchorage, the ash plume rose to an altitude of 30,000 ft (9,100 m).
Therefore, the alert status for the volcano was raised to „Red“.

Santiaguito (Guatemala): Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Washington warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 14000 ft (4300 m) altitude or flight level 140 .
The full report is as follows: VA EMS OBS to 14000 ft (4300 m)

Fuego (Guatemala): 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: VA EMS OBS 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 22000 ft (6700 m) altitude or flight level 220 .
The full report is as follows: continuous ash emissions to 22000 ft (6700 m)

Ubinas (Peru): Explosive activity continues. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Buenos Aires warned about a volcanic ash plume that rose up to estimated 22000 ft (6700 m) altitude or flight level 220 and is moving at 15 kts in NE direction.
The full report is as follows: continuous ash emissions to 22000 ft (6700 m)
…18 Jul:
After a short one-week gap in the eruptive activity at the volcano, an explosive phase returned in the summit crater over the past two days.
Several vulcanian-type eruptions continued throughout yesterday and the last night. The Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Buenos Aires detected ash columns, generating pyroclastic material to estimated 24,000 ft (7,300 m) altitude.

The hiking map leading to the current eruption site (image: Lava Centre)