Ritter Island

Ritter Island
Ritter Island in 2004
Highest point
Elevation	140 m (460 ft)
Prominence	140 m (460 ft)
Coordinates	5°31′S 148°07′E
Geography
Location	Papua New Guinea
Geology
Mountain type	Stratovolcano
Last eruption	May 2007

Ritter Island is a small crescent-shaped volcanic island 100 kilometres (62 mi) north-east of New Guinea, situated between Umboi Island and Sakar Island.

There are several recorded eruptions of this basaltic-andesitic stratovolcano prior to a spectacular lateral collapse which took place in 1888. Before that event, it was a circular conical island about 780 metres (2,560 ft) high.

1888 eruption

Main article: 1888 Ritter Island eruption and tsunami

At about 5:30 am local time on 13 March 1888 a large portion of the island, containing perhaps 5 km³ (1.2 cu mi) of material slid into the sea during a relatively minor, possibly VEI 2, phreatic eruption. Eyewitnesses at Finschhafen, 100 km (62 mi) to the south, heard explosions and observed an almost imperceptible ash fall. Tsunamis 12–15 metres (40–50 ft) high were generated by the collapse and devastated nearby islands and the adjacent New Guinea coast killing around 3,000 people.

The collapse left a 140-metre (460 ft) high, 1,900-metre (6,200 ft) long crescent-shaped island with a steep west-facing escarpment. At least two small eruptions have occurred offshore since 1888, one in 1972 and another in 1974, which have resulted in the construction of a small submarine edifice within the collapse scar.

See also

• List of volcanic eruption deaths
• List of volcanoes in Papua New Guinea