"Moderate Vulcanian activity involving Crater 3 continued. Crater 3 . . . was releasing a plume of white vapour with frequent ash-laden clouds accompanied by weak Vulcanian explosions. The largest of these explosions (recorded by the nearby seismometer) totaled as many as 35/day. Ashfalls were reported in areas N and NW of the volcano. Rumbling noises were heard on 7 August and glows were observed on the 13th and 18th, associated with weak explosions.

"Meanwhile, emissions from Crater 2 consisted of white with occasionally blue vapour. Steady weak night glows were occasionally observed."

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: I. Itikarai and C. McKee, RVO.