Karthala is the southernmost and larger of the two shield
volcanoes forming Grand Comore Island (also known as Ngazidja).
Repeated episodes of collapse have led to a 3 x 4 km summit
caldera.
Rift zones extend to the NNW and SE from the summit.
More than twenty eruptions have been recorded since the 19th
century from both summit and flank vents.
These were mostly hawaiian in style with VEI's less than 2.
Stamp below courtesy of Lisa Heiman
The following is a map of Grande Comore issued in 1973
While the next depicts the volcano in eruption in 1972
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