Ambrym Volcano

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Ambrym Volcano Eruptions - John Seach
Jewel of the Pacific

Notes on Volcanic activity at Ambrym volcano.

2007. Continued activity at Ambrym volcano with lava in Mbwelesu crater.

2005. Strong ash emissions damage gardens and burn inhabitants of Ambrym.

2002. Lava lakes visible in both Benbow and Mbwelesu craters.

2000. Lava lakes disappear from both Benbow and Mbwelesu craters.

1998. Lava lake activity observed by John Seach in Mbwelesu crater.

1997. At Mbwelesu crater the lava lake surface was continuously overturned by fountains which were tens of metres high.

1994. An overflight on 7th December revealed normal level of volcanic activity with lava lakes present in both Marum and Benbow craters.

1989. Intra caldera lava flow.

1988. On 27th May there was a 50 m diameter lava lake present in Mbwelesu crater, and the crater emitted dark grey clouds. Intra caldera lava flow.

1986. On 8th March a pilot reported an ash eruption to 3000 m elevation drifting 30km downwind.

1981. Marum and Benbow were active from 10th February to 18th March with the emission of small clouds. A strong eruption in May caused damage to gardens in surrounding villages.

1979. An eruption cause significant damage to vegetation and acid burns over an area of 90 sq km.

1973. Lava lake in Benbow

1972. A strong eruption commenced on 21st April. Powerful explosions were reported at Marum a few hours after a large earthquake on evening of 4th May. Between 27th July and 6th August there was a strong short-lived eruption at Ambrym. This was the strongest eruption since 1951.

1970
Light ash fell on Craig Cove in January from an eruption at Benbow.

1966. Benbow crater showed mildly explosive activity, and ejections of ash and incandescent blocks of lava from a central vent.

1965. Volcanic activity was lower than usual during the year. An earthquake and tsunami in August, followed by an eruption of Ambrym.

1964. Marum crater exploded violently on the 3rd March with a mushroom cloud.

1962-63. In January an overflight revealed an eruption in Benbow, which contained a lava lake with fire fountaining and large mushroom clouds of ash. The eruption of December 1962 continued into 1963 with a paroxysm on 19th January 1963.

1961. Small eruption on 15th August and explosions at Benbow on 30-31 August.

1960. A moderate precursor earthquake in the vicinity of the volcano preceded the moderate eruption of 1960.

1957. Towards the end of August, the inhabitants of Ambrym heard explosions.

1955. Benbow started a new eruptive phase, which lasted for 11 months, with emission of ash, abundant scoria, and some peripheral lava flows which were not very dangerous.

1954. Aerial reconnaissance established that Benbow was in eruption while Marum was quiescent.

1953. The May 1953 eruption of Ambrym was preceded 5 months by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake.

1952. In August explosive activity resumed after nine months quiescence. Lava was present in two craters.

1950. On 6th December violent tremors preceded a major eruption of Benbow, which remained active until November 1951.

1944. Lava lake activity.

1942. Lava flows entered the sea.

1938. The entire south-west coast of Ambrym in the throes of a gigantic volcanic outburst.

1937. The glare from the volcano illuminates the earth and sky and sea.

1935. An eruption of Ambrym was preceded by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake.

1931. Tremendous volumes of smoke and ash bursting out of the crater and ascending to a great height.

1929. For two months the eruptions were of exceptional violence, going on without intermission and smothering the island beneath a mantle of ash and cinders.

1927. A small eruption sent ash SE over Paama Island.

1918. Violent eruptions reported by a missionary.

1916. In December and eruption turned day into night.

1913. Great eruption began in December. This was one of the largest eruptions in Melanesia in the past 400 years.

1910. Lava from the base of Marum flowed 5 miles NNW and reached the sea.

1909. Strombolian eruptions.

1907. Strong georthermal activity in SE Ambrym.

1895. An eruption in February accompanied by earthquakes.

1894. The whole island trembled and plunged like a frightened horse. Earthquakes accompanied the eruption of Ambrym. A fissure extended the whole length of the island. A mile wide river of lava flowed to the west of the island. The eruptions of 1894 caused an uplift of half a metre of the ground around Dip Point.

1888. Violent eruption of Ambrym Volcano. Lava flowed to the SE on the SE side of the volcano.

1884. Missionary died from lung problems made worse by volcanic ash.

1886. Volcano was reported to contain two active craters and two dormant ones. The largest was eight miles in circumference with fire burning hundreds of feet below.

1883. First ascent of Ambrym by Europeans. Flame and smoke were ascending in considerable volume according to the explorers.

1876. The volcano was unusually active and nightly illuminated the horizon.

1875. Reports from a passing ship noted a huge volume of smoke arising from the craters.

1871. In 1871, the wooden sloop “Rosario” reached Ambrym Island.“The islands of Aurora, Pentecost and Ambrym seem rich and fertile, and abound with cocoa-nut trees. There is an active volcano on the latter island, from which several brilliant explosions were observed during the night, a loud rumbling noise being heard at each explosion.”

1870. Moderate activity was noted by officers of the mission ship Southern Cross.

1820. An old man related a story about a disastrous eruption, which occurred on Ambrym about 1820. Lava poured into the sea at Craig Cove.

1774. Captain Cook sailed past Ambrym on his second round the world voyage. He noted in his journal “[Ambrym] is 20 Leagues in Circuit, its Shores are low and the land rises with a gentle assent and forms a tolerable high Mountain in the Middle of the isle, from which assended great Columns of Smoak, but we were not able to determine with any degree of certainty whether it was occasioned by a Volcano or no."

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