"A slight increase in activity was evident towards the end of March. Explosions from Crater 2 were more common from the 24th, producing grey ash and blue vapour emissions. Light ashfalls were observed on the NW slopes of the volcano. Steady weak red glow from this crater was observed most nights. Seismicity was very weak for most of March, but from the 24th onwards, 2-8 explosion events/day were 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.