Skip to main content
← Back to map
⇄ Compare

Suretamatai

Complex volcano · Vanuatu · 921m

The southern two-thirds of Vanua Lava Island is seen in this NASA International Space Station image. Suretamatai volcano forms much of the island, with the most recent activity occurring in the northern part of the island near the area with small clouds at the top of the image. The Pleistocene Ngéré Kwon volcano forms the peninsula at the bottom of the image, and small offshore islands to the right are uplifted reef limestones. Activity that began during the 19th century has consisted of moderate explosive eruptions.
The southern two-thirds of Vanua Lava Island is seen in this NASA International Space Station image. Suretamatai volcano forms much of the island, with the most recent activity occurring in the northern part of the island near the area with small clouds at the top of the image. The Pleistocene Ngéré Kwon volcano forms the peninsula at the bottom of the image, and small offshore islands to the right are uplifted reef limestones. Activity that began during the 19th century has consisted of moderate explosive eruptions. · Photo: NASA International Space Station image ISS006-E-40035, 2003 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Complex volcano
Country
Vanuatu
Region
Southwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions / Vanuatu Volcanic Arc
Elevation
921m
Coordinates
-13.800, 167.470
Last eruption
1966
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Intermediate crust (15-25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

Suretamatai volcano (also known as Soritimeat) forms much of Vanua Lava Island, one of the largest of Vanuatu's Banks Islands. The younger lavas overlie a number of small older stratovolcanoes that form the island. In contrast to other large volcanoes of Vanuatu, the dominantly basaltic-to-andesitic Suretamatai does not contain a youthful summit caldera. A chain of small stratovolcanoes oriented along a NNE-SSW line gives the low-angle volcano an irregular profile. The youngest cone, near the northern end of the chain, is the largest and contains a lake of variable depth within its 900-m-wide, 100-m-deep summit crater. Activity reported during the 19th century consisted of moderate explosive eruptions.

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
1841~1853 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1853~1866 · 2 eruptions · max VEI 21953~1965 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 218411866190319281953

Detailed timeline

  1. 1965VEI 2Observed
    1965-08-09 – 1966-07-02
    NW flank
  2. 1861VEI 2Observed
    1861 – Ongoing
  3. 1856VEI 2Observed
    1856 – Ongoing
  4. 1841VEI ?Geological estimate
    1841 – Ongoing

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.