Small eruption at Matthew Island volcano, first since 1956, Vanuatu Volcanic Arc

A small, low-level eruption was detected at Mathew Island, Vanuatu Volcanic Arc at 21:50 UTC on July 15, 2024.

The information was provided by Wellington VAAC, who issued two Volcanic Ash Advisories today — at 04:09 UTC and 04:37 UTC.

While this was a small eruption, it is the first at this volcano since 1956 (VEI 0). The volcano has two other confirmed historical eruptions — in 1949 (VEI 2) and 1954 (VEI 2).

Matthew Island is located in the Vanuatu Volcanic Arc and is composed of two low andesitic-to-dacitic cones separated by a narrow isthmus.

Only the triangular eastern portion of the 0.6 x 1.2 km (0.37 x 0.7 miles) island was present prior to the 1940s, when construction of the larger western segment began; it consists primarily of lava flows. The western cone contains a crater that is breached to the NW and is filled by a lava flow whose terminus forms the NW coast.

References:

¹ VA Advisories for Matthew Volcano – Wellington VAAC – July 15, 2024

² Matthew Island – Geological summary – GVP – Accessed July 15, 2024

Featured image: Satellite image of Matthew Island on July 15, 2024. Credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel-2, The Watchers