volcano icon Our active volcanoes

All about Vanuatu's active volcanoes and their most recent activity :

Aerial Volcanoes

Suretamatai - Vanua Lava Island

Suretamatai is an active volcano as we can judge until today, of low intensity and  with an unfrequent activity  which characterized by the presence of slightly superheated fumaroles (with sulfur deposits), hot springs, and boiling ponds up to 3 m in diameter occurred over a 300-m strip along the Sulfur River (E flank) between 300 to 400 m elevation .

Suretamatai activity 1994

Mount - Garet - Gaua Island

Gaua volcano also known as Mt Garet, is situated in the caldera located at at the center of Gaua Island. This volcano cone is surrounded by the lake Letas from its north west to its south-western part. In 2009, significant gas and ash emissions caused the relocations of many villages from the west to the eastern part of the island.

 Mount garet activity 9th February 2009

Manaro Voui - Ambae Island

This volcano vent is located in the centre of a lake — Lake Manaro Voui. When magma has contact with water, it causes very explosive and dangerous activity

Manaro Voui activity 4th June 2010

Benbow and Marum - Ambrym Island

The two volcanic craters on Ambrym, Benbow and Marum are one of the largest emitters of sul-phur dioxide gas on the planet. These gases often mix with the clouds causing acid rain which affects, crops, water and people’s health.

Benbow and Marum activity 16th July 2005

Lopevi - Lopevi Island

Lopevi volcano is an active strato-volcano that has a history of ejecting huge volumes of volcanic ash. Often the win carries its ashes over Paama island causing much devastation to crops, wa-ter, people and settlements.

Lopevi activity 8th June 2001

Yasur - Tanna Island

The Yasur volcano on Tanna is the most ac-cessible and visited volcano in Vanuatu. It is a tourist attraction however it also has a histo-ry of dangerous activity which has caused deaths. This volcano usually has strombolian activity.

Yasur activity 16th May 2012

Submarine Volcanoes:

East Epi - Epi Island

Submarine volcano located at the Eastern side of Epi island. Last eruption was seen from the fishing boat,  Azur  on 19th  February 2004.

East Epi 

Karua - Tongoa Island

Submarine volcano located be-tween Epi and Tongoa island in the Shep-herds Group. It is said to be part of the greater Kuwae volcano which erupted in 1452, creating an underwater caldera which remains to this day. There are also other underwater volcanoes around the Shepherds area. Last eruption was occured in 1970-1971.

Karua

Eastern-Germani - Erromango Island

Submarine volcano Located ~100 km south of Aneityum Island, about halfway between Yasur volcano and Matthew Island, the Eastern Gemini seamount, also known as Oscostar, is one of several seamounts along the southern submarine extension of the New Hebrides island arc. Last eruption was observed by a passing ship on 18th February 1996.