Mount Ulawun, the tallest volcano in Papua New Guinea, displayed signs of a subsiding eruption on Tuesday. However, thick ash continued to rise into the sky, coating nearby roofs and palm trees. The highly active volcano erupted on Monday afternoon, propelling ash up to 15 kilometers (50,000 feet) high.
Papua New Guinea’s Geohazards Management Division downgraded the alert level to Stage 3 from the initial Stage 4, indicating a moderate-to-strong eruption. Standing at 2,334 meters (7,657 feet) above sea level, the volcano remained active, with the possibility of the eruption persisting indefinitely, as stated by the division.
Volcanic smoke reaching 15,000 meters (50,000 feet) was reported by the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Darwin, Australia, on Monday. The Papua New Guinea division noted the ash plume rising to at least 5,000 meters (16,000 feet) on Tuesday, extending tens of kilometers to the northwest.
The volcanic ash, capable of traveling long distances, posed a threat to aviation. The division reported heavy coatings of black ash affecting palm oil plantations and accumulating on roofs near the volcano.
The town of Bialla, with a population exceeding 13,000, faced potential evacuation. Papua New Guinea, located on the seismic “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent earthquake and volcanic activity. Mount Ulawun, having erupted multiple times since the 1700s, last caused significant evacuations in 2019.
