"Eruptive activity at Crater 2 declined near the middle of August; frequent Vulcanian explosions and periods of ash emission gave way to white and blue vapour emission occasionally punctuated by intervals of brown or grey ash emission. Ashfalls were noted at coastal locations about 10 km N and NW of the volcano until 14 August. Ejections of incandescent material were seen on 6, 7, 8, and 14 August. Sounds of detonations, rumbling, and roaring were heard during the first half of the month. Crater 3 released white vapours throughout August, and blue emissions were seen rarely in the second half of the month. Seismic activity declined from a peak reached near the end of July, but the character of the activity was unchanged."

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.