Report on Karangetang (Indonesia) — 21 August-27 August 2019
Smithsonian / US Geological Survey Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 21 August-27 August 2019
Managing Editor: Sally Kuhn Sennert
Please cite this report as:
Global Volcanism Program, 2019. Report on Karangetang (Indonesia). In: Sennert, S K (ed.), Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 21 August-27 August 2019. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.
2.781°N, 125.407°E; summit elev. 1797 m
All times are local (unless otherwise noted)
PVMBG reported that during 19-25 August lava continued to effuse from Karangetang’s Main Crater (S) and Dua Crater (N). Avalanches of incandescent material traveled 1-1.5 km SW down the Nanitu and Pangi drainages, as far as 2 km down a drainage W of Pangi, and as far as 1.8 km down the Sense drainage. Sometimes dense white plumes rose to 200 m above the summit. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4).
Geologic Background. Karangetang (Api Siau) volcano lies at the northern end of the island of Siau, about 125 km NNE of the NE-most point of Sulawesi island. The stratovolcano contains five summit craters along a N-S line. It is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, with more than 40 eruptions recorded since 1675 and many additional small eruptions that were not documented in the historical record (Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World: Neumann van Padang, 1951). Twentieth-century eruptions have included frequent explosive activity sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows and lahars. Lava dome growth has occurred in the summit craters; collapse of lava flow fronts have produced pyroclastic flows.