Paluweh, also known as Rokatenda, is a

stratovolcano A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a conical volcano built up by many layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with a summit crater and per ...

that forms the small island of

Palu'e Palu'e Island (often referred to as ''Palu Island'') is located north of Flores Island in the Flores Sea. It is part of Lesser Sunda Islands. Palu'e island is under the administrative region of Sikka regency of East Nusa Tenggara province, Indo ...

, north of Flores Island in

Sikka Regency Sikka is a regency within East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, on the island of Flores. It covers an area of 1,731.91 km2 and had a population of 300,301 at the 2010 census and 321,953 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 202 ...

in the province of

East Nusa Tenggara East Nusa Tenggara ( id, Nusa Tenggara Timur – NTT; pt, Sonda Oriental) is the southernmost province of Indonesia. It comprises the eastern portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, facing the Indian Ocean in the south and the Flores Sea in the nor ...

, Indonesia. While the volcano rises about above the sea floor, its cone rises just above sea level and is the highest point on the island. The broad summit region contains overlapping craters up to wide along with several lava domes. Several flank vents occur along a northwest trending fissure. __NOTOC__

Eruption history

Eruptions with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 3 have occurred in 1650 ± 50, 1928 and 1972. On 16 January 2005, there were signs of a possible eruption, causing the mountain to be placed under alert status.

1928

The biggest

eruption Several types of volcanic eruptions—during which lava, tephra (ash, lapilli, volcanic bombs and volcanic blocks), and assorted gases are expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure—have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are often ...

(VEI 3) occurred on August 4, – September 25, 1928, the eruption caused a

tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater explo ...

and earthquake. The population of Palu'e island was 266 people at that period.

2012–2013

In late 2012 the mountain became quite active, spewing volcanic ash. In November 2012, and continuing into 2013, a 3 km exclusion zone was set up and residents living around the mountain were evacuated or moved to Maumere city on the main island of Flores. In the first 8 months of 2013 there was regular activity from the lava dome including repeated ash plumes – generally reaching altitudes of 2–3 km – dome collapses, explosions, avalanches and

pyroclastic flow A pyroclastic flow (also known as a pyroclastic density current or a pyroclastic cloud) is a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter (collectively known as tephra) that flows along the ground away from a volcano at average speeds of bu ...

August 2013

On 10 August 2013, the mountain erupted for about seven minutes and spewed ash about into the air. Initial reports had the death toll at six. The victims were three adults and two children, and the age of the sixth victim is unclear. The bodies of the adults were recovered from Ponge beach in Rokirole village, but the remains of the children were not found. A number of the island residents refused to leave the island after an earlier mandatory evacuation order had been issued; they had grown accustomed to the volcanic activity.

References

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External links

Paluweh
Active volcanoes of Indonesia Stratovolcanoes of Indonesia Volcanoes of the Lesser Sunda Islands Mountains of Indonesia