Kadovar

Kadovar is a volcanic island in Papua New Guinea north-east of the much larger island of New Guinea. The volcano erupted in January 2018 and the eruption is ongoing as of 2020. There were some heightened thermal phenomena in 1976.[2]

Kadovar Island
Kadovar Island
Highest point
Elevation365 m (1,198 ft)
Listing
Coordinates3°36′32″S 144°35′18″E 
Geography
LocationPapua New Guinea
Geology
Age of rockHolocene
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Volcanic arcwestern end of the Bismarck volcanic arc[1]
Last eruption2020

Geography

Kadovar is part of the Schouten Islands about 25 kilometres (15 mi) north of the mouth of the Sepik River. It is 1.5 km (0.9 mi) long and wide. The village of Gewai is near the crater rim. Authorities had thought around 700 people lived on the island, but this number was related to the registered voters on the island and the actual number was found to be much higher[3] during a re-settlement ordered after the volcano erupted in January 2018.[4]

History

The first recorded sighting by Europeans of Kadovar was by the Spanish navigator Yñigo Ortiz de Retez on 21 July 1545 when on board the carrack San Juan trying to return from Tidore to New Spain.[5]

In 1700 smoke was reported, possibly from an eruption. There were further indications of possible imminent eruptions in 1976 and 1981. The island's inhabitants were evacuated to the nearby island of Blup Blup in 1976.[6]

2018 eruption

The island was again evacuated by boats and canoes immediately after an eruption began on 5 January 2018 that lasted several days and resulted in at least half of the island being covered in lava.[7] The Rabaul Volcanological Observatory described "mild vulcanian activity from a vent at the southeast base of the cumulodome" and that "a fissure may be opening just inside of the western wall of the vent’s breach, descending down to at least sea level".[8] According to the Australian bureau of the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Darwin, the ash cloud formed a plume as high as 7,000 feet (2,100 m).[9]

See also

References
  1. Llanes, P.; Silver, E.; Day, S.; Hoffman, G. (2009). "Interactions between a transform fault and arc volcanism in the Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea". Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. 10 (6): n/a. doi:10.1029/2009GC002430.
  2. "Kadovar". Global Volcanism Program. Smithsonian Institution.
  3. "PNG volcano: Authorities to resettle 2,000 evacuees on mainland as island volcano erupts". ABC News Australia. 2018-01-10. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  4. "eruption 2018". looppng. 6 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  5. Coello, Francisco "Conflicto hispano-alemán" Boletín de Sociedad Geográfica de Madrid, t.XIX. 2º semestre 1885, Madrid, p.317.
  6. "Kadovar volcano". Volcano Discovery. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  7. "First known eruption of Kadovar volcano in Papua New Guinea prompts evacuation of 500 people after sending a column of ash 7000 feet in the air". Strange Sounds. January 6, 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  8. "Smoke And Ash Engulf The Sky As Dormant Kadovar Volcano Erupts In PNG". Carbonated.tv. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  9. Hughes, Amani (8 January 2018). "Papua New Guinea volcano latest: Is Mount Kadovar erupting? Will it erupt again?". Express UK. Express Newspapers. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
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