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Sabancaya Volcano

Updated: Mar 29, 2024 04:58 GMT -
stratovolcano 5967 m / 19,577 ft
Peru, -15.78°S / -71.85°W
Current status: erupting (4 out of 5)
Last update: 28 Mar 2024 (Volcanic Ash Advisory)

Sabancaya volcano (its name meaning "tongue of fire" in Quechua Indian language) is located in the southern Peruvian Andes and one of Peru's most active volcanoes.
The stratovolcano is covered with several glaciers and located in the saddle between the older stratovolcanoes Ampato (6288 m) and Hualca Hualca (6025 m) and the only one of the group that has erupted in historic times.
Sabancaya belongs to one of South America's volcanoes with the oldest recorded history of eruptions.
Historic records of eruptions from Sabancaya date back to 1750, but its name already appears in written accounts from 1595 AD, suggesting that it had been active around or before that date as well.

[smaller] [larger]
Typical eruption style: explosive and effusive
Sabancaya volcano eruptions: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2003, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1990-95, 1988, 1986, 1784, 1750, <1595(?)

Latest nearby earthquakes

TimeMag. / DepthDistance / Location
Mar 26, 10:12 pm (Lima)
Mar 27, 03:12 GMT
3.6

11 km
22 km (14 mi) to the W Southern Peru
I FELT IT - 1 report
Info
Tuesday, March 26, 2024 GMT (1 quake)
Mar 25, 10:13 pm (Lima)
Mar 26, 03:13 GMT
3.6

8 km
9.5 km (5.9 mi) to the N Southern Peru
I FELT IT - 1 report
Info

Background

Both Nevado Ampato and Nevado Sabancaya show only little erosion due to glacial cover, suggesting that much of their summit edifices are geologically young.
Activity within the past 10,000 years consisted of explosive plinian eruptions followed by effusive eruptions of voluminous andesitic and dacitic lava flows. These flows surround the volcano on all sides except the north flank.

Latest satellite images

Sabancaya satellite image sat1Sabancaya satellite image sat2

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