Earthquake & Volcano Monitor — 2026-04-28
A strong M6.1–6.2 earthquake struck Hokkaido, Japan on April 26, generating widespread attention with no reported casualties or damage. On the volcanic front, Mayon volcano in the Philippines continues lava effusion at Alert Level 3, while Kīlauea's summit eruption remains paused. New research from a Mauna Loa study promises to sharpen eruption forecasting — potentially applicable even beyond Earth to Venus.
Earthquake & Volcano Monitor — 2026-04-28
Seismic Activity
M6.1–6.2 Earthquake Hits Hokkaido, Japan
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 struck Hokkaido, Japan, at 20:23 UTC on April 26, 2026, at a depth of 81 km (50 miles). Japanese seismic authorities measured the event as upper 5 on Japan's own shaking intensity scale and reported its magnitude as 6.2. No damage or casualties have been reported.
The New York Times interactive earthquake tracker reported aftershock mapping for the event, with shaking categories derived from the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale.
M5.5 Near Khovd, Mongolia
A magnitude 5.5 event was detected 163 km southeast of Khovd, Mongolia, on April 26, 2026, with origin time 04:23 UTC. Maximum shaking intensity peaked at MMI 6.6 (very strong). The USGS PAGER system assigned a green alert level, signalling no significant casualties or damage expected.
M4.3 in Egypt
A moderate M4.3 earthquake struck Egypt on April 26, 2026 at 03:13 Cairo local time, per VolcanoDiscovery data.
Volcanic Watch
Mayon Volcano, Philippines — Alert Level 3, Active Lava Flows
Mayon Volcano in the Philippines continues erupting at Alert Level 3. In the 24-hour period reported on April 27, lava effusion was ongoing with lava flows advancing along the Basud gully (3.8 km), Bonga gully (3.2 km), and Mi-isi gully (1.6 km), accompanied by episodic minor Strombolian activity.
A Volcanic Ash Advisory was also issued for Canlaon Volcano in the Philippines on April 26, reporting an eruption at 20:47 UTC with ash extending to FL100 (approximately 10,000 ft) and spreading southwest.
Kīlauea, Hawai'i — Eruption Paused, Advisory Level
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory confirms that the eruption at the summit of Kīlauea is currently paused. The volcano remains at Alert Level: ADVISORY, Aviation Color Code: YELLOW.
Great Sitkin Volcano, Alaska — Ongoing Lava Eruption
The Alaska Volcano Observatory notes the current lava eruption at Great Sitkin Volcano, which began in July 2021, continues to fill the summit crater and advance into valleys below. No explosions have occurred since May 2021. The volcano is monitored using local seismic and infrasound sensors, as well as satellite data.
Global Eruption Summary
As of the latest Global Volcanism Program report, 40 volcanoes had continuing eruptions through the end of March 2026, consistent with the typical global baseline of approximately 20 volcanoes actively erupting at any given time.
Earth Science
Mauna Loa Eruption Study Could Improve Forecasting — Even on Venus
New research published by Phys.org (April 28, 2026) draws on lessons from Mauna Loa's 2022 eruption to sharpen volcanic eruption predictions. When Mauna Loa erupted in 2022, the largest lava flow headed directly toward Daniel K. Inouye State Highway 200 (Saddle Road), a critical route. Researchers say the findings from studying that event may improve eruption modeling not only on Earth but potentially on Venus, which hosts many volcanic features studied by planetary scientists.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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