Member Country Report of Papua New Guinea - CCOP

6.2. Volcanic Hazards6.2.1. Annual Review of Individual Technical ActivitiesNo new activities were started and no activities were completed during the reportingperiod. The annual review covers only the ongoing activities undertaken for the period 2008 -2009 by the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory Branch.Volcanic ActivitiesThe monitored volcanoes of Papua New Guinea were generally quiet in 2008, withthe exception of the Tavurvur volcano.Ulawun and the Manam volcanoes remained generally quiet throughout 2008.Ulawun changed its quiet status of activity with the commencement and continuation of highfrequency volcano-tectonic earthquakes from about March onwards and Manam showedsome signs of renewed activity from occasional night glows from the two summit cratersduring the last few months of the year.Figure 1. Ulawun volcano taken from the southeast side of the volcano.Note the moderate volumes of white vapour emitted from the summit crater.Bagana, considered as the most active volcano in Papua New Guinea due to its subcontinuouseffusive activity, continued to erupt effusively in 2009. The effusive emissions oflava from the summit crater rolled down the western flanks of the volcano. The volume oflava was too insignificant to cause any alarm.Tavurvur, one of the two volcanoes that erupted at Rabaul in September 1994, eruptedthroughout 2008. The level of eruption was relatively mild during the first half of the year,but this changed during the second half when the mode of eruption changed from sporadicash emissions occurring at long intervals to almost sub-continuous emissions. Between Julyand October/November southeast winds blew the ash-rich plumes towards Rabaul Town andthe surrounding areas and deposited significant volumes of ash and affected the everydaylivelihood of people and gave rise to the emergence of health-related issues. The ash depositsturned into mudflows as soon as rain began to fall in October and severely affected the entiretown of Rabaul and the surrounding areas.The eruption also affected the domestic aviation industry when ash-rich plumesfrequented the air space of the flight path and deposited considerable amounts of ash on therunway. A flight service to the only main airport that serves East New Britain Province wasdisrupted, severely affecting the traveling public.8 CCOP Member Country Report: PAPUA NEW GUINEA