Indonesian Mount Lokon erupts, North Sulawesi

Indonesian Mount Lokon, located in Tomohon, North Sulawesi, erupted early Wednesday, May 20, 2015 spewing ash up to 3 km. A 2.5 km no-entry radius around the Tompaluan crater was established.

The eruption took place at 07:20 UTC (14:20 local time) on May 20, 2015. At 09:10 UTC volcanic ash drifted W and NW and reached an approximate altitude of 3 km. 

Aviation color code is set to Orange. 

The last eruption of this volcano occurred in September 2014. 

PVMBG reported that during September 8 – 14 observers of Lokon-Empung noted white plumes rising 25-100 m above Tompaluan Crater.

On September 13 three explosions from Tompaluan Crater, at 03:00, 11:46, and 12:29 (local time), produced white plumes that rose at most 500 m above the crater. Seismicity decreased sharply after the September 13 events but continued to remain high relative to the levels detected prior to September 10.

Activity at Dukono on the rise

Meanwhile, activity at Dukono on nearby North Maluku seems to be on the rise. Darwin VAAC is reporting almost daily eruptions with ash plumes to approximately 3 km over the past few days.

Geologic summary

​The twin volcanoes Lokon and Empung, rising about 800 m above the plain of Tondano, are among the most active volcanoes of Sulawesi. Lokon, the higher of the two peaks (whose summits are only 2.2 km apart), has a flat, craterless top. The morphologically younger Empung volcano has a 400-m-wide, 150-m-deep crater that erupted last in the 18th century, but all subsequent eruptions have originated from Tompaluan, a 150 x 250 m wide double crater situated in the saddle between the two peaks.

Historical eruptions have primarily produced small-to-moderate ash plumes that have occasionally damaged croplands and houses, but lava-dome growth and pyroclastic flows have also occurred. (GVP)

Featured image: Mount Lokon eruption on May 20, 2015. Credit: @PietHeinPusung ​