San Pedro Volcano
Updated: Jul 3, 2025 00:17 GMT -
stratovolcano
Northern Chile, Bolivia and Argentina (South America), -21.88°S / -68.4°W 
Summit height: 6145 m / 20,161 ft
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
San Pedro volcano in the Atacama desert of northern Chile is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world.
San Pedro volcano is a twin volcano with 2 peaks, San Pedro (the western summit) and the older sister volcano San Pablo (6092 m) in the east.
A large debris avalanche, similar to the one at Mt St Helend in 1980, occurred at San Pedro in the past, and the present-day cone grew within the depression. The debris avalanche deposit is visible on the western lower slopes of San Pedro.
Thick dacitic lava flows with steep-sided fronts cover the upper slopes of San Pedro's cone which has a crater. There is a young-looking scoria cone on the western flank (La Poruña), which erupted an 8 km-long lava flow about 103,000 years ago.
Reports of varying degrees of reliability have recorded a number of eruptions in the past centuries.
Note: a volcano with the same name is at Lake Atitlán in the Guatemalan Highlands, forming the prominent group of San Pedro, Tolimán, and Atitlán volcanoes.
[smaller] [larger]
San Pedro volcano eruptions: 1960(?), 1938, 1923(?), 1917(?), 1916(?), 1911, 1901, 1891(?), 1877(?), 1870(?)
Latest nearby earthquakes
| Date and Time | Mag / Depth | Distance / Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2, 10:25 am (GMT -4) | 3.1 112 km | 29 km (18 mi) to the SW | Chile: 61 km Al NE De Calama I FELT IT | Info | |
| Tuesday, July 1, 2025 GMT (1 quake) | |||||
| Jul 1, 02:15 am (Universal Time) | 3.3 134 km | 25 km (16 mi) to the N | 53 km Al SO De Ollagüe I FELT IT | Info | |
| Saturday, June 28, 2025 GMT (1 quake) | |||||
| Jun 28, 02:15 pm (Universal Time) | 2.8 115 km | 16 km (9.8 mi) to the W | 74 km Al NE De Calama | Info | |
| Thursday, June 26, 2025 GMT (1 quake) | |||||
| Jun 26, 05:59 pm (GMT -4) | 2.8 112 km | 24 km (15 mi) to the W | 75 km Al NE De Calama | Info | |
| Monday, June 23, 2025 GMT (1 quake) | |||||
| Jun 23, 10:18 am (Santiago) | 3.1 107 km | 25 km (16 mi) to the NW | 71 km Al SO De Ollagüe | Info | |
| Sunday, June 22, 2025 GMT (1 quake) | |||||
| Jun 21, 09:30 pm (Santiago) | 3.1 123 km | 28 km (17 mi) to the NW | 72 km Al SO De Ollagüe | Info | |
| Saturday, June 21, 2025 GMT (1 quake) | |||||
| Jun 21, 07:08 pm (Santiago) | 3.6 131 km | 19 km (12 mi) to the NW | 69 km Al SO De Ollagüe | Info | |
| Thursday, June 19, 2025 GMT (1 quake) | |||||
| Jun 19, 05:40 pm (Santiago) | 3.7 139 km | 21 km (13 mi) to the W | 73 km northeast of Calama, Provincia de El Loa, Region de Antofagasta, Chile | Info | |
San Pedro Volcano Photos
Atitlán, Toliman, and San Pedro volcanoes (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Early morning at the shore of Lake Atitlán with Atitlán, Toliman and San Pedro volcanoes in the background (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Lake Atitlán at sunrise with Toliman and Atitlán and San Pedro volcanoes (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Sunrise above the Lake Atitlán with Atitlán, Toliman and San Pedro volcanoes behind (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)
Significant volcanic eruptions: San Pedro volcano
In the past 10,000 years, San Pedro has had only one confirmed historic eruption ###WHEN1###|only one confirmed historic eruption ###WHEN1### and one ###WHEN2### inferred from geological evidence|only one confirmed historic eruption ###WHEN1###, but at least ###NUM_INFERRED### eruptions can be inferred from geological evidence|at least ###NUM_CONFIRMED### confirmed eruptions, all documented by historical records or observations|at least ###NUM_CONFIRMED### confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which ###NUM_HISTORIC### are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
No historic eruptions are known from San Pedro volcano, but at least one eruption ###WHEN2### can be inferred from geological evidence|evidence from at least ###NUM_CONFIRMED### eruptions during the past 10,000 years can be found in the geological record.
There are only 10 uncertain or discredited eruptions from San Pedro volcano during the past 10,000 years.
No historic eruptions are known from San Pedro volcano, but at least one eruption ###WHEN2### can be inferred from geological evidence|evidence from at least ###NUM_CONFIRMED### eruptions during the past 10,000 years can be found in the geological record.
There are only 10 uncertain or discredited eruptions from San Pedro volcano during the past 10,000 years.
The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of San Pedro volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of San Pedro can be found on the news page of San Pedro volcano.
| Date | Note | VEI | Deaths | Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
?? | Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs. | 2 | |||
?? | Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs. | 2 | |||
?? | Uncertain Eruption | ? | |||
?? | Uncertain Eruption | ? | |||
?? | Uncertain Eruption | ? | |||
?? | Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs. | 2 | |||
?? | Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs. | 2 | |||
?? | Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs. | 2 | |||
?? | Uncertain Eruption Historical obs./docs. | 2 | |||
?? | Uncertain Eruption | ? | |||
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
Latest satellite images
San Pedro 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).
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (world scale)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (world scale)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (region scale large)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (region scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (region scale medium)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (region scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (region scale small)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (region scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (local scale large)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (local scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (local scale medium)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (local scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (local scale small)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (local scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Terrain-type map of San Pedro volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (scale of 5-10 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of San Pedro volcano (scale of few kilometers)
