Tinakula, Active volcanic island in Temotu Province, Solomon Islands.
Tinakula is a stratovolcano rising 2,792 feet (851 meters) above sea level, forming a conical island approximately 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) across with rocky shores and slopes covered in vegetation.
Spanish explorer Álvaro de Mendaña first recorded the volcano in 1595 during his Pacific expedition, and subsequent eruptions in 1840 and 1971 forced evacuations of settlements established on the island.
Indigenous Melanesian communities and later Polynesian families from Nukapu and Nupani settled on Tinakula, maintaining traditional subsistence practices tied to fishing and the island's natural resources before volcanic activity forced their departure.
Visitors should note that Tinakula remains uninhabited due to ongoing volcanic activity, with no tourist facilities available and access requiring special permits coordinated through local authorities or research organizations.
The volcano continues erupting as of March 2024, producing ash plumes, lava flows, and pyroclastic material that shape the island's landscape and influence maritime navigation in surrounding waters.
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