November 23, 2014 Eruption of Fogo

19 November-25 November 2014. According to news articles an eruption from Fogo's Pico cone inside the Cha Caldera began in the morning on 23 November after increased activity detected in the previous weeks and felt earthquakes by residents the night before. The eruption started at a vent on the WSW base of Pico cone, near or at where explosions originated in 1995, and then rose from multiple vents. The activity was characterized by explosions, lava fountains, and ash emissions. About 700 people evacuated from Chã das Caldeiras and the local airport closed. During the afternoon on 24 November workers removed items from the national park headquarters and by the evening lava had overtaken the building. Lava flows had crossed a main road and taken down communication poles. The Toulouse VAAC noted that a cloud observed in satellite images composed mainly of sulfur dioxide drifted over 220 km NW at an altitude of 9.1 km (30,000 ft) a.s.l. Ash in the cloud was detected at lower altitudes. By 25 November the lava flow was 4 km long. (reference #2432)

The eruption continues, but the situation is critical inside the Cha caldera. The northern lava flow branch has started to enter the village of Portela and today destroyed and/or damaged several buildings, including the headquarters of the Fogo Nature Park. The village, located at the northern end of the main road inside the caldera, is at risk of being cut off by lava flows... The eruption's heaviest economic damage is probably the destruction of vinyards in the area. The lava flows threaten the storage cellar with approx. 100,000 liters of wine. (reference #11144)

On 23 November 2014, at 10.00 there was a volcanic eruption on the island of Fogo in Cape Verde. In the Cha das Caldeiras region of the island, approximately 5,700 metres of Cha Sao Felipe road had been affected by lava flows, which has resulted in the Bangaeira, Djeu Lorna and Portela communities becoming cut off. Air traffic to and from the island was stopped. All of the people who lived in the crater of the volcano were evacuated by the National Civil Protection Service and Military and sought refuge ... The National Civil Protection Service reported that the lava flows had destroyed 230 buildings including homes and public infrastructure. It has also been reported that 444.7 hectares of land had been affected including 120 hectares of agricultural fields and livestock killed. In the Bangaeira and Portela communities, 100% of buildings had been destroyed... As of 6 February 2015, the volcano had not resulted in any loss of lives however, 1,076 people have been displaced of which 944 people are settled in the temporary shelter confinements built by the government in the 1995 volcanic eruption and a public school. (reference #11296)

170 buildings destroyed and 90 buildings damaged (75% of Cha das Caldeiras villages), main road inundated, well head covered. (reference #13732)