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Almolonga Volcano | John Seach
(Cerro Quemado)
Guatemala
14.82 N, 91.48 E
summit elevation 3197 m
stratovolcano
Almolonga volcano is an andesitic to dacitic dome complex located 5 km west of Quezaltenango, Guatemala. The volcano contains a caldera, lava domes, and hot springs. A geothermal exploration project is located on the SE flank of Cerro Quemado.
A collapse of the volcano produced a 3.3 km diameter caldera, which was followed by eruption of Los Chocoyos ignimbrite. Eight post-caldera lava domes are located on the northern side of the caldera.
Volcanic hazards at Almolonga volcano include lava flows, dome collapse, debris avalanche, pyroclastic flows, and lateral blast.
1818 Eruption
An eruption in January 1818 produced a blocky lava flow that extended 2.5 km to the east and deposited tephra up to a meter thick. Earthquakes were felt by residents before and during the eruption.
Eruption 1150 years ago
An eruption 1150 years ago produced a debris avalanche and lateral blast that covered an area of 40 sq km, and a volume of 0.13 cubic km. The avalanche deposit is visible as more than 150 hummocks, depressions, and boulder fields. The hummocks are circular to oval in shape, and range from 4 to 15 m high and
16 to 500 m in diameter.
Further reading
Conway, F.M., Vallance, J.W., Rose, W.I., Johns, G.W. and Paniagua, S., 1992. Cerro Quemado, Guatemala: the volcanic history and hazards of an exogenous volcanic dome complex. Journal of volcanology and geothermal research, 52(4), pp.303-323.
Almolonga Volcano Eruptions
1818, 1765