Mount Yasur
| Mount Yasur | |
|---|---|
 Mount Yasur, April 2006 | |
| Elevation | 361 m (1,184 ft)[1] |
| Location | |
  Mount Yasur | |
| Coordinates | 19°31′42″S 169°26′54″E / 19.52833°S 169.44833°ECoordinates: 19°31′42″S 169°26′54″E / 19.52833°S 169.44833°E |
| Geology | |
| Last eruption | 2013 (ongoing) |
Mount Yasur is an active volcano on Tanna Island, Vanuatu with a height of 361 m (1,184 ft) above sea level, located on the coast near Sulphur Bay. It lies to the southeast of the taller Mount Tukosmera, which was active in the Pleistocene. It has a largely unvegetated pyroclastic cone with a nearly circular summit crater 400 m in diameter.[1] It is a stratovolcano, caused by the eastward-moving Indo-Australian Plate being subducted under the westward-moving Pacific Plate. It has been erupting nearly continuously for over 800 years, although it can usually be approached safely. Its eruptions, which often occur several times an hour, are classified as Strombolian or Vulcanian.
The glow of the volcano was apparently what attracted Captain James Cook on the first European journey to the island in 1774. Today the mountain is a sacred area for the John Frum cargo cult. Members of the cult revere John Frum, a deified messenger who foretold the bringing of wealth to the island by American forces, and believe he resides in Mount Yasur with his countrymen. The village of Sulphur Bay, the center of the movement, claims the volcano as part of their territory.
Access restrictions
Mount Yasur Volcano is regarded by many as the world's most accessible, active volcano and this is why it is such a famous Vanuatu tourist attraction. It also means that the Vanuatu Government monitors the level of volcanic activity in the interests of the public, both tourists and locals alike. This monitoring is carried out by the Vanuatu Geo-Hazards Observatory [2] and the results are posted up on their website.
The importance of the volcano to Tanna's tourism industry has resulted in the local government creating levels to restrict people's access. These levels range from 0-4 as follows:
- Level 0 - Low activity, access to the crater allowed
- Level 1 - Normal activity, access to the crater allowed
- Level 2 - Moderate to high activity, lava bombs may land beyond the crater rim, access to the crater is closed
- Level 3 - Severe activity with loud explosions, lava bombs ejected up to hundreds of metres outside the crater and large plumes of smoke and ash, access to the summit zone is closed
- Level 4 - Major eruption affecting large areas around the volcano and possibly other parts of Tanna and even neighbouring islands, all access closed.
The good news is that if you go on any Vanuatu volcanoes tours to Tanna Island Mt. Yasur Volcano,[3] the activity levels of the volcano is usually between Levels 0 and 1. This means that you are very likely to gain access to the crater itself. Tours to Tanna Island are daily and you can get access to Mt. Yasur on either a Day Tour or an Overnight tour unless the activity levels are high (level 2, 3 or 4).
Gallery
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The crater of Mount yasur
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Mount Yasur by day
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Mount Yasur at Twilight, photo by Christopher Hogue Thompson
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Mount Yasur at Night—Lava Explosion, photo by Christopher Hogue Thompson
References
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yasur. |