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Sabancaya Volcano | John Seach
Peru
15.78 S, 71.85 W
summit elevation 5976 m
stratovolcanoes
Sabancaya Volcano is located in the southern Peruvian Andes. Nevado
Sabancaya lies within the Western Cordillera
in the central Andean volcanic zone. The volcano is covered with
several glaciers, and several short lava flows extend radially
around the summit crater.
Nevado Sabancaya is the youngest volcano of a massif consisting of
three centres: Nevado Hualca Hualca to the north and Nevado Ampato
to the south. Block lava
flows extend 8 km from the summit to the west and southeast.
Pyroclastic-flow deposits indicate Holocene explosive activity.
2016-2021 Eruptions
Regular eruptions have occurred at Sabancaya volcano from 2016 to 2021. Strombolian explosions were recorded at the volcano in December 2020. In November 2020 there was lava emission and the formation of a new dome in the NE side of the summit crater.
2013 Eruption
A possible eruption occurred at Sabancaya Volcano on 13 March 2013
according to a pilot report.
2013 Earthquakes
An earthquake swarm occurred at Sabancaya Volcano, southern Peru
between 22-23 February 2013. The swarm consisted of 500 earthquakes
and was related to a geological fault system - known as tectonic
Huambo-Cabanaconde-Chivay, which is located along the Colca Canyon,
close to the volcano. The four largest earthquakes had magnitudes
from 4.5 to 4.7.
2003 Eruptions
On 31st July 2003 ashfall was noted at the volcano which covered the
summit, and extended to the volcano's base on the NE side.
2000 Eruptions
Small ash eruptions occurred in April and May 2000.
1998 Eruptions
Ash eruptions occurred at Sabancaya Volcano in August and September.
1990-95 Eruptions
Eruptions began on 29th May 1990. By 5th June 1990, eruptions became
continuous, with ash emissions to 6 km altitude. On 8th June 1990
there violent explosions every 5-10 minutes. Ash fell 20 km from the
crater. In 1991 there was strong vulcanian eruptions and a mudflow
which killed 20 people. On 19th February 1992, increased activity
caused the evacuation of several towns in a 14 km radius of the
volcano. Eruptions ended in May 1995.
1988 Eruptions
Between the 22-25 June 1988 voluminous steam pulses were emitted
every few minutes.
1986 Eruptions
In December 1986 Sabancaya volcano showed strong fumarolic activity
and glowing tephra ejections were visible at night. These were the
first recorded eruption at the volcano in 200 years.
Further reading
Samaniego, P., Rivera, M., Mariño, J., Guillou, H., Liorzou, C., Zerathe, S., Delgado, R., Valderrama, P. and Scao, V., 2016. The eruptive chronology of the Ampato–Sabancaya volcanic complex (Southern Peru). Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 323, pp.110-128.
Jay, J.A., Delgado, F.J., Torres, J.L., Pritchard, M.E., Macedo, O. and Aguilar, V., 2015. Deformation and seismicity near Sabancaya volcano, southern Peru, from 2002 to 2015. Geophysical Research Letters, 42(8), pp.2780-2788.
Gerbe, M.C. and Thouret, J.C., 2004. Role of magma mixing in the petrogenesis of tephra erupted during the 1990–98 explosive activity of Nevado Sabancaya, southern Peru. Bulletin of Volcanology, 66(6), pp.541-561.
Sabancaya Volcano Eruptions
2016-2021, 2015, 2003, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1990-95, 1988, 1986,
1784, 1750