Eruption at Karangetang in Indonesia prompts evacuations

We have been hearing some news that Karangetang, one of the more active volcanoes in the Indonesian arc, might erupt again soon – and sure enough, today it did. The details of the eruption are scant (beyond its likely coincidental timing just after the Japanese earthquake), but it seems that it was significant enough to prompt Indonesia officials to evacuate people living near the volcano. The reports list everything from lava to “searing hot gas” in this eruption, but based on reports of previous eruptions, small lava flows and strombolian eruptions, along with pyroclastic flows like from the collapse of dome material, are likely hazards. The most recent eruption of Karangetang, in August 2010, killed 4 people.

Meanwhile, Bromo in Indonesia continues to erupt as well – check out some images of the recent activity.

Top left: A 2007 eruption of Karangetang in Indonesia.