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Reventador Volcano | John Seach
Ecuador
0.07 S, 77.65 W
summit elevation 3562 m
stratovolcano
Reventador volcano is located 90 km west of Quito. It is a regularly active volcano in western Amazon. The volcano has produced frequent explosive eruptions and lava flows.
The eruptive history of Reventador volcano is obscure particularly in the early years, due to its geographical location, and until the early years of the twentieth century the volcano was virtually unknown. Also, because it was isolated from population centers, its eruptions had no effect on people, and therefore it was not properly documented. Climbing Reventador volcano takes two days. The volcano is rich in wildlife.
2012 Eruptions
Activity at Reventador volcano was high in October 2012. On 30th October there were 30 episodes of volcanic tremor and 20 rockfall signals. A column of ash reached a height of 2.5 km.
2008 Eruptions
On 8th November 2008 residents in El Chaco, about 35 km SE of the volcano, reported hearing explosions. On 9th November, Strombolian explosions and two lava flows descended the north and south flanks of the central cone.
2002 Eruption
Beginning 3rd November 2002 Reventador volcano erupted suddenly after 26 years of inactivity. As a result, lava descended along the Montana, Marquez and Piedra Fina ravines, destroying roads and highways between Quito and Lago Agrio directly affecting small agricultural producers. A 17 km high cloud of volcanic ash was produced, and over two million people were affected by the eruption. Pyroclastic flows traveled 8 km out of the breached caldera and down steep slopes to reach the Quijos river. Heavy ashfall over the provinces of Pichincha, Napo and Sucumbios led to the closing of the international airport of Quito and the shutting down of the Trans Ecuadorian oil pipeline as precautionary measures.
Two people were seriously injured by the falling material and 22 people from surrounding rural areas were evacuated. The Government of Ecuador declared a local emergency and is made preparations for the potential evacuation of 3,000 people from areas closest to the volcano, specifically from the village of El Reventador.
Structure and History of Eruptions
Reventador volcano consists of three successive volcanic phases.
1) Basal Volcanic Complex is a stratovolcano which began its construction approximately 350,000 400,000 years ago. The volcano suffered a major collapse, which led to an avalanche deposit of about 20 cubic km. This event is estimated happened 30,000 years ago.
2) The intermediate volcano, called Volcán Paleo Reventador, is also a stratovolcano which grew inside the caldera and in turn suffered another collapse directed toward the east, and whose avalanche is easily recognizable in the topography. It has a volume of 8 cubic km. The age of this event is estimated at 20,000 years.
3) The present volcano, is one of the most active in Ecuador, being particularly active during the twentieth century. Significant activity was recorded in 1922, 1926, 1929, 1936, 1944, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1972, 1973-1974 and 1976).
Lahars occurred at the volcano in June 2007. Ash emissions occurred in May 2007.
Further reading
Ridolfi, Filippo, et al. "The magmatic feeding system of El Reventador volcano (Sub-Andean zone, Ecuador) constrained by texture, mineralogy and thermobarometry of the 2002 erupted products." Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 176.1 (2008): 94-106.
Lees, Jonathan M., et al. "Reventador Volcano 2005: Eruptive activity inferred from seismo-acoustic observation." Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 176.1 (2008): 179-190.
Reventador Volcano Eruptions
2007-08, 2004-06, 2002-03, 1976, 1973-74, 1972, 1960, 1958, 1955, 1944, 1936, 1929, 1926, 1912, 1898-1906, 1894, 1871, 1856, 1844, 1843, 1843, 1802, 1797, 1748, 1691, 1590, 1541