Activity of Galeras, Fuego, Kilauea and under the Vatnajökull

Volcán Galeras, Km5 pasta street, Popayán. Jair Ramirez Cadena, Geoamenazas, Proyecto GeoRED 2012

The Colombian Geological Survey / SGC informs that despite the ongoing seismic swarm (including an earthquake of M 4.5 ke 12 June 2018) under the Galeras volcano, the level of activity of the volcano remains at level III - Amarillo, unchanged since about 7 years. Evaluations conducted after geophysical and geochemical monitoring show no significant change.

The seismicity continues to be located in an area between 1 and 8 km NE of Galeras, and at a shallow depth of 1.2 to 7.5 km from the summit (reference level 4.200 meters asl)

It is recalled that the seismicity recorded since the end of May and in particular since the morning of the 12th, concerns a tectonically active zone where the geological faults coexist with the structure of the Galeras Volcanic Complex, and for this reason, the denomination of this type of earthquakes is volcano-tectonic.

Source: SGC Pasto

Galeras - earthquakes continue; the last one 15.06.2018 / 01h35 local - Magnitude 3 - SGC

In Fuego, heavy rains led to hot lahar in Santa Teresa Barranca and Rio Mineral, a tributary of Rio Pantaleon. Large of 20 to 25 meters and 2 meters high, and carrying fine and pasty materials, blocks of 3 meters in diameter and trunks, it caused vibrations in passing.

At 17:40, a lahar descended the river Ceniza. Other lahars are reported in Taniluya and Las Lajas barrancas, about 30 to 45 meters wide and 3 meters high.

Sources: Insivumeh & Conred

Fuego - 14.06.2018 - lahar in the Ceniza barranca - Photo Conred

Fuego - research continues in the areas affected by the pyroclastic flow - photo Bomberos Municipales Departamentales.

In the East rift zone of Kilauea, the lava fountains of fissure 8 continue to reach heights of 60 meters inside the cone of ash and projections, which now reaches about 49 meters at its highest point. The Fissure 8 lava continues to follow the well-established channel leading to the ocean at Kapoho, with rare and rare overflows. An overflight early afternoon confirmed that vent and channel activity continued without significant changes.

The entrance to the ocean remained quite wide with a main entrance and several minor entrances. A laze plume at the entrance to the ocean was blown off the coast this morning, and upwelling areas offshore were present. Cracks 16 and 18 continue to seep out of the lava.

Source: HVO-USGS

Kilauea East rift zone - Standing waves form in the lava flow near the vent (red arrow) - USGS photo 14.06.2018

Kilauea East rift zone - The Fissure 8 viewed from the north at 7:50 AM. The cone is roughly 50 m (165 ft) high at is peak, and a plume of sulfur dioxide and other volcanic gases rises as an orange tinge from the erupting lava fountains (hidden within the cone). Lava is still flowing out of the vent unabated as a full channel. To the left of the cone, a standing wave of lava can be seen in the channel.

It's moving under the Vatnajökull, in Iceland!

At Grimsvötn, a breakup of the subglacial lake began on June 8th, characterized by a rise in the water level of the Gígjukvísl River, a higher conductivity and consequent H₂S levels. The breakup reached its peak on June 14, and began to decline.

Vatnajökull - Jökulhlaup in the Jökulsá to fjöllum river on 10.06.2018 - photo RUV

A seismic swarm started on June 14 in the northern part of the Bárðarbunga, with an earthquake of magnitude 4.1 at 1:14 pm, and the largest of magnitude 4.9 at 15:05; it is the largest earthquake measured in Bárðarbunga since the end of its eruption in early 2015, and it is of the same magnitude as that of 20 January 2018.

No signs of eruption.

Sources: IMO & RUV