Category: volcano

Volcano Erupts in Iceland Near Capital Following Weeks of Seismic Activity

COPENHAGEN—A volcanic eruption began in southwestern Iceland near the capital Reykjavik on Friday following thousands of small earthquakes in the area in recent weeks, the country’s meteorological office said. The eruption occurred near Fagradalsfjall, a mountain on the Reykjanes Peninsula, located around 30 km (19 miles) south-west of the capital. “I can see the glowing…


Etna Keeps up Its Spectacular Explosions; Ash Rains on Towns

ROME—A particularly spectacular blast from Italy’s Mount Etna volcano belched out a towering cloud of ash and lava stone Sunday onto Sicilian villages, the latest in a series of explosions since mid-February. Italy’s national geophysics and volcanology institute INGV said the powerful explosion at 2 a.m. was the 10th such big blast since Feb. 16,…


Indonesia’s Mount Sinabung Volcano Spews Ash Into Sky

JAKARTA—Indonesia’s Mount Sinabung volcano sent a cloud of hot ash as high as 3.1 miles on Tuesday, in its first big eruption since August last year, the country’s volcanology center said. Mount Sinabung’s activity has increased since last year and the alert for the volcano in North Sumatra province has been placed at the second-highest…


Indonesian Volcano Unleashes River of Lava in New Eruption

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia—Indonesia’s most active volcano erupted Wednesday with a river of lava and searing gas clouds flowing 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet) down its slopes. No casualties were reported. The sounds of the eruption could be heard 30 kilometers (18 miles) away, officials said. It was Mount Merapi’s biggest lava flow since authorities raised its…


Eastern Caribbean Issues Rare Alerts for Rumbling Volcanoes

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Volcanoes that have been quiet for decades are rumbling to life in the eastern Caribbean, prompting officials to issue alerts in Martinique and St. Vincent and the Grenadines as scientists rush into study activity they say hasn’t been observed in years. The most recent warning was issued late Tuesday for La Soufriere…


Lava Lake Forms as Hawaii Volcano Erupts After 2-year Break

HONOLULU—Lava was rising more than 3 feet (1 meter) per hour in the deep crater of a Hawaii volcano that began erupting over the weekend after a two-year break, scientists said Tuesday. Kilauea volcano within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island was gushing molten rock from at least two vents inside its summit…