Banda Api

The Banda Api volcano forms the same Indonesian island that belongs to the Banda Islands which are part of the Moluccas themselves and lie in the Banda Sea.

The active volcano ( Indonesian: Gunung Api Banda or Gunung Api ) is 640 meters high and is located within two calderas. He is located in the center of the inner caldera about 3 miles in diameter, located in the southwest of a largely flooded by the sea caldera of 7 km in diameter. At the same time the Banda Api is the northern end of the Banda arc, a chain of volcanic islands.

The island is roughly circular and has a diameter of about 3 kilometers. Approximately 100 meters to the east lies the island of Banda Neira, about one kilometer to the south is Banda Besar.

Outbreaks of Banda Api were explosive to part; several lava flows reached the coast. Between 1586 and 1988, the volcano erupted more than twenty times. For example, it came out in June 1820 to a sudden and violent eruption, in consequence of which the islanders fled to Banda Neira. Accompanied by subterranean rumblings arose in 1890, a new crater; at the same time, there was a series of earthquakes, where many houses were damaged. In May 1901 a strong earthquake of detonations and a bright glow at the summit of the volcano were accompanied.

Its last eruption between the 9th and May 17, 1988 was preceded by several earthquakes. The height of the eruption column was estimated on May 9 to 3 to 5 km Onsite; Satellite measurements indicate a height of over 16 kilometers. To the south, north and west of the summit craters were formed three of which leaked lava flows that reached all the sea. The 1800 Islanders were just as 5000 the then about 6,000 residents of the town on the island of Banda Neira evacuated to about 200 kilometers distant island of Ambon. The evacuation of Banda Neira was lifted on June 13. Due to the volcanic eruption three people died.