Solomon Islands
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Simbo Island, Solomon Islands
Western Province
Simbo Island is located 31 km SW of Ghizo.
Simbo was home to head hunters in the 19th century and now is famous for skull houses. The island is a volcano with evidence of effusive lava flows which have not been dated. Three volcanic cones are located on the island. Two cones are situated in the south of the island. The main crater is called Ngusuna and was produced by an explosion. The second crater is filled by Lake Ove.
Lake Ove is situated on the south west of the island. It's waters are stained green with sulphur. A thermal spring is at the southern end of the lake and the hot water is used to cook megapode eggs. Ove crater is north west of Mt Matindingi and is mildly fumarolic. Another fumarole is located on the shore below the crater. Hot fumaroles are also located 200 m SW of the crater. In the north of the island lies the third crater which is filled by Lake Pughele.
The island covers an area of 12 sq km, and had a population of 1670 at last census in 1999.
At the end of September 2006, residents of Simbo Island felt many earthquakes over multiple days. On 21st September there were 7 earthquakes measured. The earthquakes were thought to be due to heating under the volcano. Simbo erupted during the early 1900's forcing the evacuation of villages beside Lake Ove.
A great earthquake (Mag 8.1) hit 42 km east of Simbo Island on 2nd April 2007. A tsunami hit houses 200 m inland on Simbo Island. Tapurai on Simbo Island’s north coast was hit very hard by the tsunami. The island dropped by 1m after the earthquake.
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