What you are looking at is the erupting Fuego volcano in Guatemala, which is one of 49 volcanoes
across a total of 7 continents to be actively erupting as of February 4th of 2023.
While this stratovolcano has produced a number of destructive eruptions, such as the subplinian
eruption during 1974, the vast majority of its eruptive activity consists of moderately
sized explosive eruptions.
This largely consists of a mixture of strombolian and vulcanian eruptions, which occasionally
generate dangerous pyroclastic flows.
With this being said, here are this week's major volcano related news stories.
In Russia, the Chikurachki volcano produced a new explosive eruption at the end of January,
scattering a coating of ash over a section of the Paramushir Island.
Meanwhile, in Japan, there were changes at 3 volcanoes as 1 volcano had its alert level
raised on Kyushu, a separate volcano began a submarine volcanic eruption, while a third
volcano which encompasses a small island also erupted.
And, in Vanuatu, a submarine volcano erupted at shallow depths, generating a multicolored
black and white plume characteristic of a so-called surtseyan eruption at the East Epi
Volcano.
The East Epi Volcano is a submarine volcano which exists several kilometers to the east
of the island of Epi.
It consists of three main volcanic cones which are termed Epi A, Epi B, and Epi C. Epi B
is the shallowest vent of the three, being located at a depth of approximately 30 meters
or 100 feet, and also happening to be the site of the complex's new volcanic eruption.
Due to the shallow depth the eruption which occurred on February 1st originated at, rising
magma interacted with the overlying oceanwater, generating a series of powerful explosions
which even produced short distance pyroclastic flows.
As a result, a 10 kilometer exclusion zone was declared around the volcano, in addition
to a warning to stay away from the coastline on region islands, and the volcano's alert
level was raised from 0 to 1.
However, the eruption only lasted approximately 7 hours and ceased on the same day it began.
While the eruption could theoretically resume in the next week or so, its eruption might
truly have ended.
Regardless of which is the case, the 10 kilometer exclusion zone is still in place around the
volcano as of February 3rd of 2023.
During the 21st century, several volcanoes in Russia have been highly active with volcanic
eruptions occurring at each one of them a minimum of once every other year.
These specific volcanoes with frequent recent eruptions include Sheveluch, Bezymianny, Klyuchevskoy,
Karymsky and a fifth volcano which is lesser known.
This fifth volcano is known as Chikurachki, which just so happened to produce yet another
eruption, ending a several month long period of no eruptions occurring at this complex.
Chikurachki is a gray stratovolcano with a red tint, which hints at the occasional scoria
produced by its eruptions.
On January 28th, this volcano erupted anew with a series of vulcanian explosions that
created a semiconsistent ash plume visible from satellite.
The wind pattern trended to the south-southeast at the time of its initial eruption, as seen
via the ash dusting visible from satellite a day later.
Throughout the week, Chikurachki continued to produce more small to moderate volume explosions,
of which one larger event occurred on Feburary 1st.
In Japan this week, the number of erupting volcanoes within the country increased from
3 to 5.
This occurred as two somewhat similar volcanoes that contain a caldera erupted within a chain
of islands and submarine volcanoes offshore of the Japanese main islands.
On January 25th, the beautiful island volcano of Nishinoshima erupted, whose island has
vastly grown in size during the last decade and has visible lobes of andesite lava.
Its eruption was relatively small and only produced a weak trace of ash.
A day later, the Bayonnaise Rocks volcano began a submarine volcanic eruption to the
north which appears to be still ongoing.
In my opinion, I advise that ships stay at least 10 kilometers away from each volcano
and for aircraft to also stay beyond 5 kilometers away from each volcano.
Later in the week on the island of Kyushu, the alert level was raised at the Mount Aso
volcano from white to yellow on January 30th due to an increase in the amplitude of volcanic
tremor events beaneath its Naka-dake crater.
As a result a 1 kilometer exclusion zone was implemented around its crater rim.
Here is a quick list of all 49 volcanoes which are currently erupting.
Additionally, here are some volcanoes showing signs of unrest which are not erupting as
of the recording of this video on February 4th of 2023.
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