What kind of volcano is Sinabung?

Sinabung is classified as a Stratovolcano in Indonesia. Its tectonic setting is Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km).

How is seismicity near Sinabung monitored here?

Earthquakes within 50 km of the crater are aggregated from 18 seismic networks and checked against a swarm rule that compares the current rate with this volcano's own 30-day background. Ash advisories come from the VAAC centres that are connected.

Volcano Dossier•GVP #261080

3.17°N, 98.39°E

Erupted since 2000

Indonesia→

Volcano Sinabung

Silent for about 400 years until it woke in 2010, this North Sumatra volcano then entered a decade of near-constant lava dome growth and collapse. Pyroclastic flows killed 16 people in 2014 and 7 in 2016, and several villages on its flanks had to be permanently relocated.

Last eruption

2021

Erupted since 2000

Summit

2.5 km

Stratovolcano · Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Activity

Normal Baseline

0 events (1.0x rate)

Interactive Volcano & Seismicity Map

Seismicity within 50 km radius, active VAAC ash plumes, and tectonic plate boundaries.

Recent seismicity within 50 km

0 events in the last 12 h within 25 km of the crater.

Time	Magnitude	Epicenter / Place	Distance	Depth
24m ago	M2.8	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA (BMKG)	33 km	10 km
6h ago	M2.6	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA (BMKG)	35 km	10 km
6h ago	M2.5	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA (BMKG)	38 km	10 km
3d ago	M2.6	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA (BMKG)	39 km	10 km
44d ago	M3.5	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA (BMKG)	39 km	10 km
49d ago	M2.5	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA (BMKG)	32 km	10 km
64d ago	M4.2	7 km SE of Kabanjahe, Indonesia	21 km	153.9 km
73d ago	M2.7	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA (BMKG)	47 km	179 km

Geological & Tectonic Profile

Stratovolcano

Sinabung is an active Stratovolcano formed in an active Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km). Dominant lithology: Andesite / Basaltic Andesite.

Edifice TypeStratovolcano

Major rockAndesite / Basaltic Andesite

TectonicsSubduction zone

Volcanic ArcSunda Volcanic Arc

Volcano Dossier

VN #261080

Official catalogue parameters, coordinates, elevation and geotectonic classification.

CountryIndonesia

Crater Coordinates3.170°, 98.392°

Summit2.5 km

SubregionSunda Volcanic Arc

Catalog SourceSmithsonian GVP (#261080)

Authoritative Monitoring Infrastructure

All 18 Networks & VAAC →

Seismic ObservatoryBMKG / PVMBG

Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika / PVMBG

Official Portal

ICAO Aviation Ash Center

Darwin VAAC (Bureau of Meteorology)

Darwin, Australia

VAAC Advisory Desk

Swarm telemetry correlated across 18 networks against a 30-day baseline.Read Science & Physics →

Regional Seismic Profile

Sumatra Subduction & Fault

Explore live seismic monitoring, historical danger benchmarks, fault slip models and recurrence intervals for Sumatra Subduction & Fault.

Open Regional Hub

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Verified scientific, operational, and emergency protocols

The most recent eruption of Sinabung recorded by the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program was in 2021.

Catalogue: Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program.Smithsonian GVP profile