About this recording
Published 2026-05-23. The volcano wasn’t on land… it was erupting from the bottom of the sea. A recent submarine eruption was detected in the Bismarck Sea north of Papua New Guinea. Satellites saw steam-rich volcanic plumes, ash, discolored water, and floating pumice spreading across the ocean surface. The eruption is believed to be happening along Titan Ridge, in a complex and not fully mapped part of the seafloor. This archived recording reflects reporting at publication; conditions may have changed.
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Use these explainers to interpret the measurements and warnings discussed in disaster coverage. They provide background, not updates to this archived briefing.
