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Tungurahua volcano

Tungurahua

Stratovolcano · Ecuador · 5023m

Snow-capped Tungurahua, seen from near the town of Baños on its northern flank, rises 3200 m above steep-walled canyons. Historical eruptions, separated by long reposes, have produced powerful explosions, sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows and lava flows. All historical eruptions have originated from the summit crater, and have typically lasted for several years. The largest historical eruptions took place in 1886, 1916, and 1918.
Snow-capped Tungurahua, seen from near the town of Baños on its northern flank, rises 3200 m above steep-walled canyons. Historical eruptions, separated by long reposes, have produced powerful explosions, sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows and lava flows. All historical eruptions have originated from the summit crater, and have typically lasted for several years. The largest historical eruptions took place in 1886, 1916, and 1918. · Photo: Photo by Minard Hall, 1976 (Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Ecuador
Region
South America Volcanic Regions / Northern Andean Volcanic Arc
Elevation
5023m
Coordinates
-1.467, -78.442
Last eruption
2016
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

Tungurahua, a steep-sided andesitic-dacitic stratovolcano that towers more than 3 km above its northern base, is one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes. Three major edifices have been sequentially constructed since the mid-Pleistocene over a basement of metamorphic rocks. Tungurahua II was built within the past 14,000 years following the collapse of the initial edifice. Tungurahua II collapsed about 3,000 years ago and produced a large debris-avalanche deposit to the west. The modern glacier-capped stratovolcano (Tungurahua III) was constructed within the landslide scarp. Historical eruptions have all originated from the summit crater, accompanied by strong explosions and sometimes by pyroclastic flows and lava flows that reached populated areas at the volcano's base. Prior to a long-term eruption beginning in 1999 that caused the temporary evacuation of the city of Baños at the foot of the volcano, the last major eruption had occurred from 1916 to 1918, although minor activity continued until 1925.

From Wikipedia

Tungurahua is an active stratovolcano located in the Cordillera Oriental of Ecuador. The volcano gives its name to the province of Tungurahua. Volcanic activity restarted on August 19, 1999, and is ongoing as of 2023, with several eruptive episodes since then, the most recent lasting from February 26 to March 16, 2016.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
7750 BCE~7425 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 41242 BCE~917 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 5591 BCE~266 BCE · 2 eruptions · max VEI 3266 BCE~60 · 2 eruptions · max VEI 360~385 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 3385~710 · 2 eruptions · max VEI 3710~1036 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 41036~1361 · 2 eruptions · max VEI 31361~1687 · 3 eruptions · max VEI 31687~2012 · 18 eruptions · max VEI 47750 BCE5472 BCE2869 BCE591 BCE1687

Detailed timeline

  1. 2012VEI 3Observed
    2012-12-14 – 2016-03-16
    Summit crater
  2. 2011VEI 2Observed
    2011-04-20 – 2011-05-26
    Summit crater
  3. 2011VEI ?Observed
    2011-11-27 – 2012-09-04
    Summit crater
  4. 2010VEI 3Observed
    2010-01-01 – 2010-08-01
    Summit crater
  5. 2010VEI 3Observed
    2010-11-22 – 2011-01-02
    Summit crater
  6. 1999VEI 3Observed
    1999-10-05 – 2009-07-08
  7. 1993VEI 1Geological estimate
    1993-05-06 – 1993-05-06
  8. 1944VEI 2Geological estimate
    1944 – Ongoing
  9. 1916VEI 4Observed
    1916-03-03 – 1925-12-01
  10. 1900VEI 2Geological estimate
    1900 – Ongoing
  11. 1886VEI 4Observed
    1886-01-11 – 1888
  12. 1885VEI 2Observed
    1885-01 – 1885-10-16
  13. 1857VEI 2Observed
    1857-09-10 – Ongoing
  14. 1781VEI 2Geological estimate
    1781 – Ongoing
  15. 1777VEI 2Geological estimate
    1777 – Ongoing
  16. 1776VEI 2Observed
    1776-01-03 – Ongoing
  17. 1773VEI 3Observed
    1773-02-04 – 1773-07
  18. 1757VEI 2Geological estimate
    1757 – Ongoing
  19. 1644VEI 2Observed
    1644 – 1646
  20. 1640VEI 3Observed
    1640 – 1641
  21. 1557VEI 2Observed
    1557 – Ongoing
  22. 1350 (±50 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    1350 – Ongoing
  23. 1250 (±50 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1250 – Ongoing
  24. 1030 (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    1030 – Ongoing
  25. 800VEI ?Geological estimate
    800 – Ongoing
  26. 730 (±200 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    730 – Ongoing
  27. 600VEI 3Geological estimate
    600 – Ongoing
  28. 480 (±75 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    480 – Ongoing
  29. 350VEI 3Geological estimate
    350 – Ongoing
  30. 200VEI ?Geological estimate
    200 – Ongoing
  31. 100VEI 3Geological estimate
    100 – Ongoing
  32. 50 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    BCE 50 – Ongoing
  33. 100 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    BCE 100 – Ongoing
  34. 270 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 270 – Ongoing
  35. 500 BCEVEI 3Geological estimate
    BCE 500 – Ongoing
  36. 1010 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI 5Geological estimate
    BCE 1010 – Ongoing
  37. 7750 BCEVEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 7750 – Ongoing

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.