Tuesday Tidbits: Evacuations in Vanuatu, Shiveluch erupts and more

nGaua erupting in February 2010. Image courtesy of the NASA Earth Observatory.

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As a certain famous Icelandic native would say, “there is more to life than this.”

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Some other volcano news from around the world:

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• The situation at Gaua in Vanuatu is worsening. Ash from the current eruption is contaminating water and food supplies on the island. Authorities are planning on evacuating 3,000 people from the island if the eruption that started in 2009 gets worse, but there has already been significant ash fall, mudflows and explosions.

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• Shiveluch on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia continues to erupt, with its latest eruption producing a 7.5 km plume to accompany the seismicity and rockfalls of recent days.

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• The Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico Nacional in Costa Rica noted that the the lake levels at Irazu and Poas volcanoes are both extremely low, while the latter and Turrialba are producing large steam plumes.

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• An article I missed from almost a month ago says that Chile will be developing a new Emergency System after the criticism of the response to the M8.8 earthquake and the Chaiten eruption (amongst others). There is also a brief article on the continuing attempt to rebuild the city of Chaiten.

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• And if you haven’t had your fill of ash stories, there is a good story (spanish) in El Pais on ash fall over South America from the abundant volcanoes along the Andes.