Mount Lamington, seen here in eruption from the north in late 1951, is an andesitic stratovolcano with a 1.3-km-wide breached summit crater containing a lava dome. Prior to its renowned devastating eruption in 1951, the forested peak had not been recognized as a volcano. The catastrophic 1951 eruption produced devastating pyroclastic flows and surges that swept all sides of the volcano, killing nearly 3000 persons. The eruption concluded with growth of a 560-m-high lava dome in the summit crater.

Photo by Tony Taylor, 1951 (courtesy of Wally Johnson, Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources).

Additional Photos

This dramatic photograph of the catastrophic eruption of January 21, 1951 was taken by the pilot of a commercial aircraft flying from Port Moresby to Rabaul. From about 40 km NW, the pilot observed this powerful eruption column, which rose to a height of about 13 km within two minutes. Shortly afterwards, the cloud expanded horizontally away from the volcano, as devastating pyroclastic flows and surges swept radially up to 12 km from the crater.

Photo by Capt. Jacobson, 1951 (published in Taylor, 1958).

The vehicle at the upper right was suspended 3-m above the ground between the tops of two truncated trees by the devastating pyroclastic surges of the January 21, 1951 eruption of Mount Lamington. The vehicle was located in the village of Higaturu, 10 km north of the volcano. Velocities of the pyroclastic surges were estimated to be in excess of 120 km per hour. The high-temperature surges destroyed the village, removing houses from their foundations and demolishing a steel-framed hospital building.

Photo by Tony Taylor, 1951 (Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources).

Australian volcanologist Tony Taylor stands beside the light aircraft he used to make observations of Mount Lamington, which is erupting in the distance on February 5, 1951. Taylor was detailed to investigate the catastrophic eruption of Lamington, which previously had not been recognized as a volcano by those living on its slopes. He conducted painstakingly detailed investigations on the course of the eruption. His landmark 1958 paper became a volcanological classic on the analysis of a major pelean eruption.

Photo courtesy of Wally Johnson, 1951 (Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources).

The first historical eruption of Lamington, not known to be a volcano by those living on its fertile flanks, took place in 1951. Following continuous light ash emission beginning on January 17, the paroxysmal eruption on January 21 produced pyroclastic flows and surges that swept all sides of the volcano to a maximum distance of 12 km on the north, killing nearly 3000 persons. This February 5 photo shows the denuded northern flanks of the volcano and steam rising from a growing lava dome in the new crater. Slow dome growth ended in 1956.

Photo by Tony Taylor, 1951 (Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources).

Members of a scientific team approach the crater of Mount Lamington through the avalanche valley on February 11, 1951. Explosions issuing from a vent behind the new lava dome being emplaced in the summit crater produce billowing clouds of steam and ash. Growth of the lava dome began soon after the catastrophic January 21 explosive eruption. At the time of this photo, the smooth-surfaced lava dome was uplifting the floor of the new crater. The dome eventually grew to the height of the crater rim.

Photo by Tony Taylor, 1951 (Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources).

On August 19, this large knife-edged spine towered about 130 m above the surface of the growing lava dome. Uplift of the central spine ceased at about this time. Extrusion and destruction of lava spines occurred frequently during the five-year long period of lava dome growth.

Photo by Tony Taylor, 1951 (Australia Bureau of Mineral Resources).