"Emissions at Crater 2 consisted mainly of white-grey vapour-and-ash clouds in low-moderate volumes. Fine ashfall to the SE of the volcano was reported on 3 January. Occasional rumbling noises accompanying the emissions were heard intermittently throughout the month. Low-loud explosions were heard on 3, 30, and 31 January. A weak glow was seen on most nights during the first week and on 21 and 30 January around the crater rim. Activity at Crater 3 was mostly confined to weak-moderate emissions of white vapour accompanied by pale grey ash clouds and wisps of blue vapour on 26 and 28 January. The seismograph was not operational during January."

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: H. Patia, R. Stewart, and B. Talai, RVO.