Rabaul Volcano Is
p. 53 · Read in the full issue
Active
THE first remarkable volcanic activity reported at Rabaul since the erup tion in May, 1937, occurred at 7.40 a.m. on Friday, June 6, when the crater at Tarvurvur volcano burst out, and a huge black cauliflower-shaped cloud rose to a height of about 700 feet.
Tarvurvur is at the back of Matupi.
The cloud drifted slowly over Mount Mother and Namanula, causing a slight shower of black scoria dust; and, a little later, at intervals, there were three fur ther puffs of cloud—the last at about noon. When this volcanic activity was at its height there was a fairly large cloud of black dust, about 3,000 feet above Rabaul.
The volcanic activity caused no dam age, and the populace remained calm.
There were no tremors or explosions such as had so terrifying an effect in 1937.
The Seismological Observatory, which has been established in Rabaul to keep watch on the volcanoes, had reported that there was a gradual increase in the temperature of the volcano in the last six months, but there were no indi cations, apparently, of an explosive erup tion. A few people made plans of what they were going to do in the event of an eruption developing; but, by Friday afternoon, the volcanic activity, and any alarm caused thereby, had subsided.
Mr. E. J. Bremen has been transferred from Port Moresby to Samarai as Board ing Inspector, Papuan Customs Depart ment, replacing Mr. W. Robinson, now in the RAAF.