Papua New Guinea: Evacuation of Kadovar Island as volcano becomes active Jan. 5

Event

Activity of the Kadovar Island volcano since Friday, January 5 has led the government to evacuate more than 500 residents of the island in East Sepik province. The volcano, previously thought to be dormant, began to spew ash into the air on Friday. 

A plume of volcanic ash has since been thrown into the area to a height of approximately 2 km (1.3 mi). A change in wind direction could cause disruption to PNG’s Wewak airport (WWK). There is also a chance that the volcano’s activity may become explosive, with a risk of associated tsunamis and landslides.

Advice

Individuals present in or intending to travel to the affected areas are advised to monitor the situation and follow any instructions issued by the local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders).