Lopevi, Active stratovolcano in Malampa Province, Vanuatu

Lopevi is an active stratovolcano in Vanuatu that rises approximately 1400 meters from the Pacific Ocean with a symmetrical cone shape. Steep slopes are covered in volcanic deposits and scattered plant growth across the mountainside.

Lopevi has erupted at least 22 times since 1862. Its residents were moved to Paama or Epi in 1960 because of the recurrent danger. Volcanic unrest was still ongoing in September 2025, with thermal anomalies and small fumarolic steam plumes from the summit crater.

Lopevi was inhabited until 1960, when the population moved to Paama or Epi because of the recurrent danger; the island has stayed uninhabited since. The volcano has erupted at least 22 times since 1862, and in September 2025 small fumarolic steam plumes were still being emitted from the summit crater, seen on webcam images.

The island is accessible only by boat and visitors should always check current volcanic activity reports and warning systems before making travel plans. Conditions can shift rapidly, so getting local guidance and up-to-date information is essential.

Lopevi sits on the New Hebrides Plate above the subducted Australian Plate to the west. Because no earthquakes occur between 50 and 200 km below the surface there, geologists think the subducted plate has fractured and does not appear at those depths.