Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
Volcano Status: Historical
Last Known Eruption: 2010 (continuing)
Summit Elevation: 5230 m 17,159 feet
Latitude: 2.002°S 2°0’9″S
Longitude: 78.341°W 78°20’27″W
The isolated Sangay volcano, located east of the Andean crest, is the southernmost of Ecuador’s volcanoes, and its most active. The dominantly andesitic volcano has been in frequent eruption for the past several centuries. The steep-sided, 5230-m-high glacier-covered volcano grew within horseshoe-shaped calderas of two previous edifices, which were destroyed by collapse to the east, producing large debris avalanches that reached the Amazonian lowlands. The modern edifice dates back to at least 14,000 years ago. Sangay towers above the tropical jungle on the east side; on the other sides flat plains of ash from the volcano have been sculpted by heavy rains into steep-walled canyons up to 600 m deep. The earliest report of a historical eruption was in 1628. More or less continuous eruptions were reported from 1728 until 1916, and again from 1934 to the present. The more or less constant eruptive activity has caused frequent changes to the morphology of the summit crater complex.
Sangay is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It is located in the eastern cordillera of Ecuador. Large eruptions at the volcano consists of Strombolian activity, ashfall, lava flows, pyroclastic flows, and lahars. During an eruption in 1628, ash fell at Riobamba, 50 km NW of the volcano. This eruption covered pastures and caused cattle to starve.
The volcano is surrounded by uninhabited land, so only large Plinian eruptions will represent a hazard to land 30-100 km west of the volcano. Access to the volcano is very difficult, and approaching the summit is dangerous because of the need to constantly dodge the stones and material ejected into the air from the crater. Due to its remote location the level of surveillance less than other more dangerous volcanoes in Ecuador.
Originally posted 2010-08-23 04:16:23.
