Volcano in Kenya
The Barrier volcano: eruption status today
Updated
No eruption of The Barrier is being reported right now Last eruption: 1900–1963 (NOAA NCEI).
Live status of The Barrier: whether it is erupting now, satellite hot spots, earthquakes around it, and what an eruption would mean for nearby cities and flights.
- Status now
- No open report
- Last eruption
- 1900–1963
- Elevation
- 1,032 m 3,386 ft
- Type
- Shield volcano
- Earthquakes within 50 km
- 0 past 30 days (USGS)
- Hot spots within 10 km
- 0 latest NASA FIRMS VIIRS data
- Nearest city
- Kitale 226 km SW
Is The Barrier erupting right now?
There is no open NASA EONET event for The Barrier right now. NOAA NCEI dates its most recent eruption to 1900–1963. Volcano observatories can raise alert levels before an eruption starts, so check the national observatory for the current alert level.
No satellite thermal hot spot was detected within 10 km of the summit in the latest NASA FIRMS data, so there is no sign of lava at the surface large enough for VIIRS to see (clouds can hide it).
Earthquakes near The Barrier
USGS has no earthquake within 50 km of The Barrier in the past 30 days. Outside the United States USGS mainly lists quakes above about M4, so small volcanic tremors recorded by the local observatory will not appear here.
About The Barrier
The Barrier is a shield volcano in Africa-E, Kenya, rising to 1,032 m (3,386 ft). NOAA NCEI classes its eruptive history as "Historical".
Shield volcanoes have broad, gentle slopes built by fluid lava flows; eruptions are usually effusive (lava fountains and flows) rather than explosive.
The nearest large town is Kitale, about 226 km SW of the summit; 1 other city lie within 250 km.
- Kitale (226 km)
- Eldoret (247 km)
Flights and volcanic ash
No major hub airport is within 400 km (the closest is Jomo Kenyatta, 407 km away), but ash clouds from explosive eruptions can drift for thousands of kilometres along flight routes.
Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAACs) issue the official ash advisories that airlines and air traffic control follow.
Other volcanoes in Kenya
Kenya has 2 volcanoes on this site that erupted since 1900 or are active now. The closest other one is Emuruangogolak, 95 km away.
Nearby volcanoes
Volcanoes in Kenya
More
Data: NOAA NCEI Volcano Locations, NASA EONET (open volcano events), USGS earthquakes, NASA FIRMS (VIIRS hot spots), Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program.