September 4, 2026 — Nuʻutele Island of Ofu-Olosega volcano, American Samoa

This photo, taken from a boat, shows the northwest side of Nuʻutele Island, off the west coast of Ofu Island in the Manuʻa Islands, American Samoa. Nuʻutele Island, which may be known by other names locally, is an eroded tuff cone of Ofu-Olosega volcano. A tuff cone can form when magma and water interact at shallow depths, causing localized explosions. The age of the eruption which formed Nuʻutele Island is thought to be Holocene (erupted within the last 12,000 years). After the eruption, ocean waves and currents eroded part of the tuff cone. Part of Ofu Island is visible on the left side of the photo. USGS photo by N. Deligne.