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Report on Langila (Papua New Guinea) — February 1990


Langila

Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, vol. 15, no. 2 (February 1990)
Managing Editor: Lindsay McClelland.

Langila (Papua New Guinea) Small ashfalls in uninhabited areas; weak red glow from crater

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 1990. Report on Langila (Papua New Guinea) (McClelland, L., ed.). Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network, 15:2. Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.BGVN199002-252010



Langila

Papua New Guinea

5.525°S, 148.42°E; summit elev. 1330 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


"Moderate vapour and ash emissions continued at Crater 2. Ashfalls were mainly in uninhabited areas SE of the volcano, but on one occasion there was a fine ashfall ~10 km to the NW. Weak red crater glow was often seen at night. Seismicity was generally at a low level. Vulcanian explosion earthquakes were occasionally recorded."

Geological Summary. Langila, one of the most active volcanoes of New Britain, consists of a group of four small overlapping composite basaltic-andesitic cones on the lower E flank of the extinct Talawe volcano in the Cape Gloucester area of NW New Britain. A rectangular, 2.5-km-long crater is breached widely to the SE; Langila was constructed NE of the breached crater of Talawe. An extensive lava field reaches the coast on the N and NE sides of Langila. Frequent mild-to-moderate explosive eruptions, sometimes accompanied by lava flows, have been recorded since the 19th century from three active craters at the summit. The youngest and smallest crater (no. 3 crater) was formed in 1960 and has a diameter of 150 m.

Information Contacts: C. McKee, RVO.