Garbuna Group
Encyclopedia
The Garbuna Group of volcanoes consists of three volcanic peaks, Krummel, Garbuna, and Welcker, atop a shield volcano
. They are located at the southern end of the Willaumez Peninsula, just to the west of the town of Kimbe
, in West New Britain, Papua New Guinea
. Garbuna contains a large thermal field, probably Papua New Guinea's largest.
Until recently, it was assumed that the Garbuna volcano was probably dormant, or perhaps extinct. The last eruption was believed to have occurred around 1300 AD, or 1,700 years ago. Evidence from past eruptions indicates large amounts of tephra and lava were produced.
However on 17 October 2005 the Garbuna volcano erupted without warning. Ash was reported 4,000 m above the summit. An ash warning for aircraft was distributed by the Darwin office of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology on 19 October, by which time a second new vent had appeared. Ash was apparently drifting to the northwest on 19 October and had contaminated some village water supplies.http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s1487080.htm
Eruptions continued into November 2005, although less violently. By January 2006, the main activity was limited to volumes of white vapour being discharged from the new vents.
Garbuna is less than 20 km to the west of Kimbe
, the main urban centre of West New Britain and the location of an important palm oil industry.
In August 2002, the Pago
volcano to the east of Kimbe
erupted and caused 12,000 people to seek refuge in care centres. The Hoskins airport was closed for some time due to ash falls. This volcano was previously active in 1990.
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
. They are located at the southern end of the Willaumez Peninsula, just to the west of the town of Kimbe
Kimbe
Kimbe is the capital of the province of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea. It is a port town on the great Kimbe Bay which boasts more than 60 percent of the coral species of the entire Indo-Pacific. The bustling town of Kimbe is the third largest port in Papua New Guinea and is the fastest...
, in West New Britain, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
. Garbuna contains a large thermal field, probably Papua New Guinea's largest.
Until recently, it was assumed that the Garbuna volcano was probably dormant, or perhaps extinct. The last eruption was believed to have occurred around 1300 AD, or 1,700 years ago. Evidence from past eruptions indicates large amounts of tephra and lava were produced.
However on 17 October 2005 the Garbuna volcano erupted without warning. Ash was reported 4,000 m above the summit. An ash warning for aircraft was distributed by the Darwin office of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology on 19 October, by which time a second new vent had appeared. Ash was apparently drifting to the northwest on 19 October and had contaminated some village water supplies.http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s1487080.htm
Eruptions continued into November 2005, although less violently. By January 2006, the main activity was limited to volumes of white vapour being discharged from the new vents.
Garbuna is less than 20 km to the west of Kimbe
Kimbe
Kimbe is the capital of the province of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea. It is a port town on the great Kimbe Bay which boasts more than 60 percent of the coral species of the entire Indo-Pacific. The bustling town of Kimbe is the third largest port in Papua New Guinea and is the fastest...
, the main urban centre of West New Britain and the location of an important palm oil industry.
In August 2002, the Pago
Pago (volcano)
The volcano Pago is located East of Kimbe, New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Pago is a young post-caldera cone within the Witori Caldera. The Buru Caldera cuts the SW flank of the Witori volcano. Biggest eruptions were at 4000±200 BC, VEI 6, 10 cubic kilometres ; 1370±100 BC, VEI6, 30 km3 ; and 710±75...
volcano to the east of Kimbe
Kimbe
Kimbe is the capital of the province of West New Britain in Papua New Guinea. It is a port town on the great Kimbe Bay which boasts more than 60 percent of the coral species of the entire Indo-Pacific. The bustling town of Kimbe is the third largest port in Papua New Guinea and is the fastest...
erupted and caused 12,000 people to seek refuge in care centres. The Hoskins airport was closed for some time due to ash falls. This volcano was previously active in 1990.