"The slightly stronger activity . . . continued through May. Moderate grey emissions were released from Crater 2 throughout the month, accompanied by occasional weak rumbling noises. One loud explosion was heard on the 30th. Weak red glows from this crater were seen 23, 29, and 30 May, and incandescent lava fragments were ejected above the summit on the 30th. Occasional, thin, white-grey emissions were observed from Crater 3 on 1-4, 7-8, 16, 19-20, 24, and 29-31 May, more frequently than normal."

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 and C. McKee, RVO.