December 15, 2018 Eruption of Ambrym
Ambrym in Vanuatu erupted on December 15, 2018 with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 2.
Where it erupted
Ambrym, Vanuatu, with its other significant eruptions.
The eruption
- Date
- December 15, 2018
- Volcano
- Ambrym, pyroclastic shield
- Country
- Vanuatu
- Volcanic Explosivity Index
- 2, moderate (eruption column 1 to 5 km)
- Killed by
- Seismic, or volcanic earthquake (tectonic earthquake deaths excluded); Tephra (ash, bombs, lapilli, steam blasts); Gas (from eruptive craters, fumaroles and solfataras)
- Earthquake
- Yes: the earthquake with it
- Location
- 16.250° S, 168.120° E
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- Few (about 1 to 50)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
VMGD observations and seismic data analysis confirm an ongoing emission of ash and gas from eruptive vents from Benbow and Marum craters and ongoing localized earthquake activity in the south eastern part of Ambrym. This earthquake activity is related to the current volcano eruption. Ash fall and gases have been observed primarily over the North Eastern side of the island. Earthquake activity has caused cracks on buildings and land in some areas, especially in the South East Ambrym area. Roads, water supplies, buildings and gardens have been damaged. (reference #12309)
The entire 159 Pamel community members in Southeast Ambrym have relocated themselves to Ulei village nearby as there were some damaged due to earthquake damages in their infrastructures. (reference #12351)
Other significant eruptions of Ambrym
More
Every eruption in 2018The 2000sAmbrymEarthquakes near AmbrymThis day in weather history
Sources
Volcanoes and significant eruptions from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 7244.