Volcanoes Today, 31 Dec 2013: Cleveland, Sinabung, San Miguel, Dukono, Suwanose-jima, Etna

Etna (Sicily, Italy): The fireworks on Etna seem to be coming to an end, although there is currently no visibility due to bad weather. Tremor has gradually decreased after another long, but rather weak paroxysm at the New SE crater (photos).

Suwanose-jima (Tokara Islands, Japan): The volcano continues to produce frequent and intense strombolian explosions and produces a low level ash plume.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): More and increasingly larger (and hence more dangerous) pyroclastic flows are being formed by the growing lava dome of the volcano. These “flows” are hot turbulent avalanches of hot blocks and ash in suspension with hot gas and air, that can travel down at great speed the slopes of the mountain, typically following the paths of valleys.
Today, one of the pyroclastic flows reached a distance of 3000 m, ie. the lower slopes. It needs to be pointed out that anything living in the path of these flows is killed, and even larger structures usually destroyed or completely burned. The exclusion zone of 5 km currently in place seems clearly to be too small.
Even without vertical explosions, co-ignimbrite ash plumes from the pyroclastic flows reached an altitude of 9 km.

Dukono (Halmahera): Elevated explosive activity continues at the remote volcano. Ash plumes up to 12,000 ft (3.6 km) altitude were spotted on satellite data by VAAC Darwin.

Cleveland (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): Small, brief explosions were detected at the volcano yesterday evening (21:29 UTC or 12:29 AKST) and this morning at 4:06 UTC (19:06 AKST local time), USGS reported.
“No satellite images available after the time of the explosion, so uncertain if minor ash cloud generated, but unlikely.
“Similar such explosions may continue without warning, and may produce minor ash clouds that are not expected to extend much beyond the volcano, but could produce local fallout on the flanks of the volcano. AVO has received no reports of activity from local observers.” (AVO/USGS)

San Miguel (El Salvador): (31 Dec) The new eruption that occurred at the volcano Sunday (29 Dec) morning at 10:50 am local time has so far been an isolated single explosion of vulcanian type (accumulated pressure ejecting the plug in the conduit). Current seismic activity is low, but more activity could follow.
The explosion produced an ash plume of considerable (3-8 km) height, reaching estimated altitudes of 5-10 km. Heavy ash fall followed the eruption in nearby areas downwind, such as in the towns of Chinameca and San Jorge to the west. Civil Protection immediately began to evacuate families residing in a radius of 3 km around the volcano. So far, more than 5000 persons have been ordered to evacuate.
The following video from MARN’s webcam shows the onset of the powerful explosion, accompanied by a (fortunately only) small pyroclastic flow (starting a 8sec): – Volcano Discovery