Bougainville, T.N.G.
p. 11 · Read in the full issue
Violent Eruption In Bougainville, T.N.G.
OBSERVERS at Kieta, in Bougainville Island (Northern Solomons, but part of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea) reported by radio on Tuesday, September 7, that Mount Bagana had commenced active eruption at about 8 a.m. Activity increased violently during the day, and by the afternoon, enormous masses of smoke and steam, rising more than 15,000 feet, had caused a “black-out” over the surrounding country.
No damage was done, except maybe to the few natives living thereabouts. Mt.
Bagana, 6,560 feet, is in the mountainous, jungle-clad interior of Bougainville, about 35 miles west of Kieta. Some 20 miles north of Mt. Bagana is Mt. Balbi, 10,170 feet, which also is a volcano, and fre quently active.
There was much interest in the event in Rabaul, 250 miles away, as the char acter of the eruption resembled that of Mt. Vulcan, on May 28.
There is no European, and only sparse native settlement in the interior of Bou gainville.
Later reports indicated that the erup tion was continuing, but with diminish ing force.