Motlav

Stratovolcano in Vanuatu

Key Facts

Elevation

411 m (1,348 ft)

Type

Stratovolcano

Location

-13.670°, 167.670°

Region

Vanuatu Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

The elongated island of Motlav, also referred to as Mota Lava, is comprised of at least five Pleistocene basaltic stratovolcanoes capped by two well-preserved late-Pleistocene to Holocene pyroclastic cones, Tuntog and Vetnam. Tuntog is a largely pyroclastic composite cone at the SW end of the island with a 500-m-wide summit crater. Vetman, in the center of the island, is a pyroclastic cone truncated by a summit crater that is breached on the southern side.

The 411-m high point of Motlav is a remnant of older volcanics along the central ridge of the 12-km-long, NE-SW-trending island.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Pyroclastic flows
Lava flows
Volcanic bombs and ballistics
Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate

Infrastructure RiskModerate

Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary

Basalt / Picro-Basalt

Silica Content

Low (45-52% SiO₂)

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Formed by oceanic plate subduction, typically producing explosive eruptions due to water-rich magmas.

Age & Formation

Epoch

Holocene

Evidence

Evidence Credible

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

Metric	Value	Global Ranking	Significance
Total Recorded Eruptions	Unknown	Low	Moderately active volcano
Maximum VEI	VEI Unknown	Minor	Local impact potential
Recent Activity	Unknown	Historical	Historically active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program

International eruption database

Current Status

Normal

No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

Nearby Volcanoes in Southwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions

Regional Volcanic Activity

The Southwestern Pacific Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

Quick Info

•Smithsonian ID: 257001
•Evidence: Evidence Credible
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

The elongated island of Motlav, also referred to as Mota Lava, lies in the northern Banks Islands of Vanuatu. The 12-km-long island is comprised of at least five Pleistocene basaltic stratovolcanoes capped by two well-preserved late-Pleistocene to Holocene pyroclastic cones, Tuntag and Vetnam. The low peak with a shadow above it at the lower left (SW) part of the island is Tuntog, a largely pyroclastic composite cone with a 500-m-wide summit crater. Vetnam pyroclastic cone lies in the center of the island.

NASA International Space Station image ISS006-E-26739, 2003 (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/).