Imbabura Volcano
Updated: Apr 27, 2024 18:22 GMT -
compound volcano 4609 m / 15,121 ft
Ecuador, 0.26°N / -78.18°W
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Ecuador, 0.26°N / -78.18°W
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Imbabura volcano in northern Ecuador is located above the scenic Laguna de San Pablo in the Interandean valley 60 km north of the capital Quito.
Eruptions at Imbabura volcano generated pyroclastic flows that extended northeast. A large dome collapse of Huarmi Imbabura about 8000 years ago generated a debris avalanche that caused a large seiche (tidal wave, tsunami) in San Pablo lake at the western base of Imbabura.
Historical activity consisted only in mudflows and rock slides, but the volcano is considered active.
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Imbabura volcano eruptions: 5550 BC ± 500 years
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Background
The main edifice of Imbabura, Taita Imbabura ("Father Imbabura") forms the summit, with Huarmi Imbabura ("Imbabura's Son") forming a lateral lava-dome complex on the SW flank.Imbabura was built in several stages:
The Imbabura I edifice constructed in the Pleistocene and was a large andesitic stratovolcano. It collapsed earlier than about 43,000 years ago after a major eruption, and produced a debris avalanche that traveled 16 km to the north.
A new stratovolcano, Imbabura II, was built after the collapse, which is probably still active.
Imbabura II typically built large dacitic lava domes, which subsequently collapsed. A major eruption about 25,000 years ago produced a debris avalanche, as well as a possible lateral blast. After this event, the present-day Huarmi Imbabura lava dome.
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