Vanuatu authorities monitor Gaua volcano

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Vanuatu authorities monitor Gaua volcano

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Last Updated: Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:15:00 +1000

Activity at the Gaua volcano in Vanuatu's northern Torba Province is continuing to cause concern for the local people.

They have all moved to the east side of Gaua Island to avoid falling ash, mudslides and poisonous gases.

Authorities in the capital Port Vila are urging people to stay calm as they monitor the volcano closely.

Field observations reported by the geo-hazards officer in Gaua confirm thicker and higher emissions of ash columns but the alert level remains at Two out of a possible Four.

Sylvain Todman is a Geohazards Technical Advisor in Vanuatu's Department of Geology.

"The current risk is mainly ash falls and then mudflows," he said.

"It's true that we have an increase in activity but not like a level 3. Evacuation is ready the plan is ready the location is ready, it's a very tough situation for the local population of Gaua, they're scared they're afraid, it's a very new situation for them."

http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201004/2880742.htm?desktop

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=sub_LateNewsHeader>Volcanic ash affecting food and water on Vanuatu's Gaua Island</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=left>
Vanuatu's Red Cross said ash fall from a volcano on Gaua Island in the north, is affecting food and water sources of villagers waiting to be evacuated, local media reported on Wednesday.

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BERMANA
Wed, 21 Apr 2010

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- Vanuatu's Red Cross said ash fall from a volcano on Gaua Island in the north, is affecting food and water sources of villagers waiting to be evacuated, local media reported on Wednesday.

Preparations were being made to evacuate nearly 3,000 people from Gaua should the volcano's activity increase.

There's been an increase in mud flow, ash fall and more explosions from the Gaua volcano in recent weeks. The water level in the crater-lake has also been rising and there are fears that mud could flow from the lake to populated areas. The local Red Cross disaster management officer, Augustin Garae said fumes and ash showering the island has been a hazard for people's health, Radio New Zealand International reported on Wednesday.

http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=130/focusContentID=19144/tableName=mediaRelease/overideSkinName=newsArticle-full.tpl

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Re: Vanuatu authorities monitor Gaua volcano

<TABLE class=contentpaneopen><TBODY><TR><TD class=contentheading width="100%">Gaua </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=contentpaneopen><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>
<TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle></TD><TD vAlign=top><TABLE border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Volcano Name: </TD><TD>Mount Garet </TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Volcano Type:</TD><TD>Stratovolcano</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Current Activity:</TD><TD>Vanuatu Volcanic Alert Level 2</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Last Known Eruption:</TD><TD>Currently</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Summit Elevation:</TD><TD>797 m </TD><TD>2,615 feet </TD></TR><TR><TD>Latitude: </TD><TD>14.27?S</TD><TD>14?16'0"S </TD></TR><TR><TD>Longitude: </TD><TD>167.50?E</TD><TD>167?30'0"E</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

The roughly 20-km-diameter Gaua Island consists of a basaltic-to-andesitic stratovolcano with an 6 x 9 km wide summit caldera. Small parasitic vents near the caldera rim fed Pleistocene lava flows that reached the coast on several sides of the island; several littoral cones were formed where these lava flows reached the sea. Quiet collapse that formed the roughly 700-m-deep caldera was followed by extensive ash eruptions. Construction of the historically active cone of Mount Garet and other small cinder cones in the SW part of the caldera has left a crescent-shaped caldera lake. The symmetrical, flat-topped Mount Garet cone is topped by three pit craters. The onset of eruptive activity from a vent high on the SE flank of Mount Garet in 1962 ended a long period of dormancy. Since September 29th 2009, a new eruptive phase has started until now. http://www.geohazards.gov.vu/index.p...id=8&Itemid=15

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