Sangay (Ecuador)

Status Unknown Eruption 2019 5286m
Stratovolcano (Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km))

Sangay

The isolated Sangay volcano, located east of the Andean crest, is the southernmost of Ecuador's volcanoes and its most active. The steep-sided, glacier-covered, dominantly andesitic 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. It towers above the tropical jungle on the east side; on the other sides flat plains of ash 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 almost constant activity has caused frequent changes to the morphology of the summit crater complex.

The isolated Sangay volcano towers above tropical jungles east of the Andean crest. Seen here from the NE, it is one of Ecuador's most active volcanoes and has been in frequent eruption during the past several centuries. The steep-sided, glacier-covered volcano has been constructed within the older Verdeloma somma to the south. Historical eruptions were first reported in 1628. More-or-less continuous eruptions took place from 1728 until 1916, and again from 1934 until the present.

Photo by Minard Hall, 1976 (Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito).

Last updated 2024-03-28 17:03:14

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