Calbuco Volcano

Updated: May 2, 2025 00:42 GMT - refresh

stratovolcano

Southern Chile and Argentina (South America), -41.33°S / -72.61°W

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Summit height: 2003 m / 6,571 ft

Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)

Last update: 17 Dec 2021 (seismic unrest, slight inflation)

Calbuco volcano, along with its neighbor Osorno, is one of Chile's most active volcanoes. It is located 11 km south of Lake Llanquihué and 30 km NE of the town of Puerto Mont in the Lake District in southern Chile.
Calbuco volcano consists mainly of blocky aa lava flows and tephra layers, and its summit is truncated by a 400-500 m wide summit crater. Debris avalanches from Calbuco have reached Lake Llanquihue.
One of the largest historical eruptions in southern Chile took place from Calbuco in 1893-1894. It ended with the formation of a lava dome in the summit crater. Later eruptions have enlarged the lava-dome complex.

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Calbuco webcams / live data | News/Updates | Earthquakes

Typical eruption style: explosive
Calbuco volcano eruptions: 2015, 1972, 1961, 1929, 1917, 1911-12, 1909, 1907, 1906, 1895, 1893-94

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Distance / Location
Apr 18, 02:14 pm (Santiago)	4.4 9.5 km	24 km (15 mi) to the SE	49 km east of Puerto Montt, Llanquihue, Region de los Lagos, Chile 9 reports	Info

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Background

The stratovolcano edifice of Calbuco is elongated in a SW-NE direction and is the result of a complex history, creating 4 major units:

Calbuco-1: the oldest volcanic edifice which is now eroded and only outcrops in deep gullies.
Calbuco-2: the main cone of Calbuco volcano, which consists of interbedded lavas and breccias. This edifice was truncated by a a 3 km3 debris avalanche to the NNW following a violent plinian eruption.
Calbuco-3: the complex of lava flows and domes on the northern flank emplaced after the debris avalanche. This unit partially fills the scar of the avalanche.
Calbuco-4: the historical lava dome and associated lava flows produced during the eruptions of 1893-94, 1917, 1929 and 1961.

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Sources:
- Smithsonian / GVP volcano information
- López-Escobar et al (1995) "Calbuco Volcano and minor eruptive centers distributed along the Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone, Chile (41°–42° S): contrasting origin of andesitic and basaltic magma in the Southern Volcanic Zone of the Andes", Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, v 119 (4), pp 345-361

Significant volcanic eruptions: Calbuco volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Calbuco has had at least 36 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 14 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
There is one uncertain or discredited eruption during 1837 - 1838 from Calbuco volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Calbuco volcano since around 1000 AD. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Calbuco can be found on the news page of Calbuco volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Damage
2015 Apr 22 - May 26	Summit crater Historical obs./docs.	4
2015 Apr 22 (eruption 2015 Apr 22 - May 26)	Historical obs./docs.	0	moderate	Info
2015 Apr 22: Most Recent Weekly Report: 22 April-28 April 2015 OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that an eruption from Calbuco began at 1804 on 22 April, prompting the Alert Level to be raised to Red (the highest level on a four-color scale) and causing a 20-km exclusion zone to be declared. The eruption was preceded by an hour-long period of volcano-tectonic events followed by long-period events; no increases in seismicity had been noted since 2009 when real-time seismic monitoring started. After a large seismic event detected at 1735, a 90 minute eruption generated a sub-Plinian, gray ash plume that rose 15 km above the main crater and drifted mainly ENE, although fine ash drifted N and NW. Column collapses occurred locally and radially, affecting the headwaters of major rivers. Residents within the exclusion zone, in Chamiza, Lago Chapo, and Correntoso sectors, and in the town of Puerto Montt, were ordered to evacuate. Several roads and bridges were impassable due to ashfall. A larger second event on 23 April began at 0100, lasted six hours, and also generated a sub-Plinian ash plume that rose higher than 15 km and drifted N, NE, and E. About 5,000 people had been evacuated and ONEMI warned people not to go within 200 m of drainages due to lahar hazards. News articles noted that international flights in and out of several major cities were delayed or canceled. Some houses in areas near the volcano collapsed from the weight of the ash. ONEMI noted on 27 April that 246 of 4,514 evacuees were in shelters; the number of displaced people had peaked at 6,514 during 24-26 April. (reference #11206) Last week's spectacular twin eruptions of the Calbuco volcano will cost southern Chile's Los Lagos region, a tourism and agriculture hub, up to $600 million, a local business leader said Monday. The region is struggling to clean up some 210 million cubic meters (7.4 billion cubic feet) of ash spewed by the volcano, which contaminated rivers, lakes and vast stretches of prairie. "The Los Lagos regional economy had annual turnover of $2 billion. We estimate the eruption of Calbuco will cause losses of up to about 30 percent," he said. Los Lagos has more than a million head of cattle, around 30 percent of the total in Chile, and supplies about half the South American country's milk. Chile's salmon industry, the world's second-largest, is also facing losses. Los Lagos has the largest concentration of salmon farms in the country, but many had their water supplies contaminated by ash.The effect on the region's key tourism industry, which draws about 200,000 visitors a year, is less clear. "The volcano could decrease the number of tourists coming for outdoors activities... but it could also increase the number of tourists who want to see an active volcano," said Jadue. (reference #11205) Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). #11205 AFP (2015): Chile volcano eruption costs region $600 mn: official. Published April 27, 2015 6:09 PM. #11206 Global Volcanism Program (2015): Calbuco Most Recent Weekly Report: 22 April-28 April 2015. Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1972 Aug 26	Historical obs./docs.	2
1961 Feb 1 - Mar 26 or later	Historical obs./docs.	3
1961 Jan 25 (eruption 1961 Feb 1 - Mar 26 or later)	Historical obs./docs.	3	light	Info
1961 Jan 25: The eruption produced 3 lahars with the largest coming down the north-flank that caused extensive damage in the cultivated fields. Cited references #2379 Siebert, L, Simkin T (2002-): Volcanoes of the World: an Illustrated Catalog of Holocene Volcanoes and their Eruptions. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-3, (http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/) #11199 Klohn, Erik (1963): Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America: The February 1961 eruption of Calbuco Volcano. Vol 53, No. 6. pp 1435-1436 Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1945	Historical obs./docs.	?
1932	Historical obs./docs.	?
1929 Jan 6	Historical obs./docs.	3?
1929 Jan 6 (eruption 1929 Jan 6)	Historical obs./docs.	3		Info
1929 Jan 6: Damage, Mudflows. (reference #10953) Cited references #10953 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 551 p. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1917 Apr - May	Historical obs./docs.	3?
1917 Apr (eruption 1917 Apr - May)	Historical obs./docs.	3		Info
1917 Apr: Damage, Mudflows. (reference #10953) Cited references #10953 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 551 p. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1911 - 1912	Historical obs./docs.	2
1909 Mar	Historical obs./docs.	2
1907 Apr 22	Historical obs./docs.	2?
1906	Historical obs./docs.	2
1894 Nov 16 - 1895 ?	Historical obs./docs.	2?
1893 Jan 7 - 1894 Jan 16 or later	Historical obs./docs.	4
1893 Jan 7 (eruption 1893 Jan 7 - 1894 Jan 16 or later)	Historical obs./docs.	4	light	Info
1893 Jan 7: One of the largest historical eruptions in southern Chile took place from Calbuco in 1893-1894. Violent eruptions ejected 30-cm bombs to distances of 8 km from the crater, accompanied by voluminous hot lahars. Several days of darkness occurred in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina (>100 km SE). (reference #2379) Damage, Mudflows. (reference #10953) Cited references #2379 Siebert, L, Simkin T (2002-): Volcanoes of the World: an Illustrated Catalog of Holocene Volcanoes and their Eruptions. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-3, (http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/) #10953 Siebert, Lee, Tom Simkin, Paul Kimberly (2010): Volcanoes of the World, Third Edition, Geoscience Press, Inc., University of California Press, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., 551 p. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1837 - 1838	Discredited Eruption
1792 ?	Historical obs./docs.	?
1600 ±75 y. AD		?
1380 ±50 y. AD		?

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Calbuco Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Calbuco volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Calbuco occurred in 2015.

+How often does Calbuco volcano erupt?

Since 1792, Calbuco volcano has had at least 14 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 16.6 years.

+How active is Calbuco volcano at present?

Calbuco volcano is infrequently active: Since 1900, it has had 12 eruptions, and been active during 12 years out of 126 as of now. This means, Calbuco has been in eruption one in 10.5 years on average. The last eruption was in 2015 and ended 10 years ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Calbuco volcano?

The largest eruption known from the younger geological history of Calbuco volcano occurred around 6760 BC. It ranks as a sub-plinian eruption with a magnitude 4 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Latest satellite images

Calbuco Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).