GVP Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for June 9-15, 2010

There seemed to be a lot of steam venting from Sakurajima earlier today, nicely captured in time lapse video before the rain clouds moved in. That's the first time I've seen so much steam coming out.

Spot the little bird too curiously checking out the camera at 1:55!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2lJNRQDpZ4

Nice video, James - looks like the bird has a nest there somewhere? :) Looked like a couple of little explosive events at the side vent, too.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/193768/tv-reporter-trapped-in-taal-volcano-…

Nanny State allows silly media into Taal, and they get trapped because they can't climb LOL

Again, I have to ask, what does this article you (and I) linked about the TV reporter have anything to do with the so-called "nanny state". The article pretty clearly states that the reporter went out of his way to get into trouble.

Personally, I don't think Fran Dresler had anything to do with the reporter...

*ducks :D

Good thing Taal didn't go off right then.

Headline should read: Reporter gets himself into trouble in Taal Crater.

Well the Nanny State let the reporters go in. They were allowed to go where others were not allowed (ie the Island), but then they went even further, climbed down the ridge and get stuck for 5 hours only to be rescued by coast guard. If they care so much about safety they should have banned them, especially after the Guatemala incident.

So foreign nationals are banned, but their trusted reporters are ok. And look what trouble reporters get in. I recall the only people to get killed recently in South America was a CNN reporter (+ his guides). So really the people most at risk are the reporters, since they want to get too close, as they have financial gain in doing so. So reporters are the ones that should be banned, not experienced tourists who visit lots of volcanoes. :P

In Guatemala the reporter and his guides were killed...

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/05/28/guatemala.volcano/inde…

@Greg [7]

"... So really the people most at risk are the reporters, since they want to get too close..."

That's more of a natural selection effect rather than anything having to do with some sort of state organizational structure.

I just don't get why at Level 2 it's so restricted. At Mayon it was level 3 when real restrictions began to happen. There has been a massive shift in restrictions in Philippines for some reason?

But considering what happened in Guatemala the government should keep a close tab on journalists. You only have to search you tube to find lots of videos made by journalists sneaking through areas when it is actually really dangerous. They want to get too close, since they want to make big money getting that winning shot.

If the whole thing was really going to blow, why are people still living on the island near to the volcano, as that's where the journalist was given initial permission to interview, since it's not really that far from the crater. And who'd be stupid enough to go down to the water by yourself from the viewing deck. Did he want to go for a swim lol?

I don't think it would make much difference if you were on the ridge or 5km away if the whole thing was really going to blow. If level 2 is so dangerous then a 20km exclusion zone should be made.

Remember, the Alert Status is only part of the equation. The landscape and population around Mayon and Taal are very different, so you actually wouldn't expect that preparation and closures would be the same at the two volcanoes. I think that the Philippine government is approaching this with an abundance of caution, which is fine with me. If not and people die, then we can all enjoy the scientists getting sued for not "predicting" the eruption correctly.

Each "state" (whatever sort of governmental you wish that to express) has finite resources to deal with emergencies. Not all of them have the same resources. Not all of them wish to endanger rescue crews who had better sense than to place themselves in danger for the sake of a photograph or an "ooooh, ahhhh" experience. A "state" has to weigh it's resources and chances at pulling off a successful evacuation with the probability that something bad happens.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I would be pretty P.O.'d if as a rescue worker, had to go retrieve an idiot rather than rescue a displaced family. The family didn't ask for the problem, the idiot who fell into the hazard area for the sake of a photograph did. Let natural selection take it's course. I'll go help the family.

Greg, if your idea of a "Nanny State" is the Philippines government then heaven forbid what you think of any western government with their health and safety regulations etc. Do you live in the Philippines?

In Guatemala it was actually a local reporter who died, he worked for a local CNN affiliate.

I've been fortunate enough to meet both Renato Solidum (PHIVOLCS director) and Ed Laguerta (resident Mayon volcanologist.) They're both very highly regarded and in my discussions with them they took protection of lives as their number one priority - can't fault them for that!

Meanwhile a nice steam plume on Eyja from HVOL cam only, too cloudy otherwise - being blown toward THORO cam so it looks as though it's steaming at the top of Gigjökull too.

There is a new report about Melimoyu in the OVDAS page, talking about a VT quake occured today (june 17th). I don't know if all that green alert (only preventive) and this report is due to real hazard of a possible future near eruption or because the volcano has a seismic network from a little time ago, and it is necessary to 'know' it.

Two EQs under Eyjafjallajökull, one not so shallow, and Jón Helicorders showing interestingly active plots earlier today.
Now the plume shows an interesting grayish hue.
Definitely, she is not done yet.

Why I do believe we have a new troll here - a 'Nanny State' troll. Greg (or whoever he is) knows that using this term in his pathetic posts will push buttons and get him attention.

>>>>Do not feed the Troll<<<<<<

Hi all,
I have such a basic question that it might seem silly but here it goes:

On the charts at

http://hraun.vedur.is/ja/gps/predorb/theypred.html

will the upper-limit on the chart be adjusted if inflation increases beyond +20? After staring at it for so long, this is the first time I've noticed the reading this high.

Thank in advance!

#17 cont'd - on the North chart, that is.

Shiveluch has to be feeling smug after getting its name dropped in yesterday's news on RÃV.

Hi, life kept me busy, but i finally came across uploading some images of ash samples sent by Jón FrÃmann Jónsson on June 2nd.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arselectronicacenter/
my personal favorite is
http://www.flickr.com/photos/arselectronicacenter/4711578214/in/set-721…

Hello to all !

@20 Birgit,

The sample photos are astonishing.Well done for all your hard work and for bringing them to us.And to you Jon Frimman for sending the samples in the first place !

Yep Erik, Melimoyu has increased the earthquakes since the last 8.8 Earthquake ... It has had more than 257 earthquakes, and yesterday (17th June) SERNAGEOMIN uploaded another Report about more earthquakes that happend that day...
One of them was 3.4 Magnitude, and 8 kms deep. It was produced by rock-rupture as they said.

I was going to Inform you about Melimoyu past 9th June, but I had no Computer
Anyway, Anything I would know i will tell you

Greettings

Excogitate your feel and bury this disarray