"Activity at Crater 2 in March was slightly higher than in February. Moderate to strong white to grey emissions were released intermittently throughout the month. Light ashfalls were reported [9] km downwind on 4 and 14 March. Weak night glows (with intermittent incandescent ejections) were reported on 16, 24, and 23 March. Explosion and rumbling noises were heard on the 4th, 9th, 14-16th, 18th, and 24-30th. Seismicity was at a moderate level with 2-10 Vulcanian explosion events/day."

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: P. Lowenstein, RVO.