Karkar, Papua New Guinea: thermal activity causing concern

Continuing thermal activity at the Bagiai cone on Karkar Island is causing concern at the Rabaul Volcano Observatory, reported Papua New Guinea’s The National on 6 March 2008. Vegetation has been turning brown and dying on the flanks of Bagiai, and between 15 and 20 earthquakes per day have been recorded by the RVO seismic monitoring equipment installed in January. An RVO team will be travelling to Karkar this week to set up ground deformation measuring equipment, and the observatory has put in a bid for funding for a permanent monitoring presence on the island, as the current equipment has only been deployed on a temporary basis.

The increased seismic activity at Karkar began in December 2007.

Information
Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program – summary information for Karkar (0501-03=)
Karkar – information from the Papua New Guinea Ministry of Mineral Resources
Papua New Guinea Volcanological Observatory Branch – Rabaul Volcano Observatory

News
Thermal activity at Bagiai cone a concern – The National, 6 March 2008