RVO reported that lava continued to flow from the SE Coastal Vent resulting in the connection of a reemerged lava island to the coast of Kadovar within a few days of the 1 February collapse. During 14-22 February continuous plumes of white vapor rose from both Main Crater and SE Coastal Vent, punctuated by dense ash emissions from both areas during 16 and 20-22 February and occasional booming noises. Ash plumes rose 370 m above the island and drifted SE, though on 22 February the winds blew the plumes N and NW. Incandescence from both areas was visible on 22 February. A sulfur odor was noticed by residents on Blup Blup (15 km N) on 16 and 22 February.

Geological Summary. The 2-km-wide island of Kadovar is the emergent summit of a Bismarck Sea stratovolcano of Holocene age. It is part of the Schouten Islands, and lies off the coast of New Guinea, about 25 km N of the mouth of the Sepik River. Prior to an eruption that began in 2018, a lava dome formed the high point of the andesitic volcano, filling an arcuate landslide scarp open to the south; submarine debris-avalanche deposits occur in that direction. Thick lava flows with columnar jointing forms low cliffs along the coast. The youthful island lacks fringing or offshore reefs. A period of heightened thermal phenomena took place in 1976. An eruption began in January 2018 that included lava effusion from vents at the summit and at the E coast.

Source: Rabaul Volcano Observatory (RVO)