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El Salvador · Stratovolcano

San Miguel

Type
Stratovolcano
Elevation
2130m
Last eruption
2023
San Miguel
Photo: Gump Stump · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
El Salvador
Region
Middle America & Caribbean / Central America Volcanic Arc
Elevation
2130m
Coordinates
13.434, -88.269
Last eruption
2023
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic andesite
Geological summary

The symmetrical cone of San Miguel, one of the most active volcanoes in El Salvador, rises from near sea level to form one of the country's most prominent landmarks. A broad, deep, crater complex that has been frequently modified by eruptions recorded since the early 16th century caps the truncated unvegetated summit, also known locally as Chaparrastique. Flanks eruptions of the basaltic-andesitic volcano have produced many lava flows, including several during the 17th-19th centuries that extended to the N, NE, and SE. The SE-flank flows are the largest and form broad, sparsely vegetated lava fields crossed by highways and a railroad skirting the base of the volcano. Flank vent locations have migrated higher on the edifice during historical time, and the most recent activity has consisted of minor ash eruptions from the summit crater.

From Wikipedia

San Miguel is a stratovolcano in central-eastern El Salvador, approximately 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of the city of San Miguel. On January 16, 2002, a minor eruption of steam, gas, and ash occurred from the summit crater, lasting 3 hours but causing no real damage to life or property. Carbon dioxide emissions had been monitored since November 2001, and their steady increase continued to build up until the eruption.

Wikipedia · CC BY-SA · Read full article →

Eruption history

45 recordedGlossary
Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions · Use arrow keys to move between bars, Enter to open
1510~1561 · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1664~1715 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 21715~1766 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 21766~1817 · 4 eruptions · max VEI 21817~1868 · 7 eruptions · max VEI 21868~1920 · 4 eruptions · max VEI 21920~1971 · 13 eruptions · max VEI 21971~2022 · 14 eruptions · max VEI 315101612176618681971

Detailed timeline

  1. 2022VEI 2Observed
    2022-11-15 – 2023-05-27
  2. 2020VEI 1Observed
    2020-02-22 – 2020-02-22
  3. 2018VEI 1Observed
    2018-01-14 – 2018-03-04
    Summit crater
  4. 2017VEI 1Observed
    2017-01-07 – 2017-01-07
    Summit crater
  5. 2016VEI 1Observed
    2016-01-12 – 2016-01-18
    Summit crater
  6. 2016VEI 1Observed
    2016-06-18 – 2016-06-18
    Summit crater
  7. 2015VEI 1Observed
    2015-08-13 – 2015-08-13
    Summit crater
  8. 2015VEI 1Observed
    2015-01-26 – 2015-04-11
    Summit crater
  9. 2013VEI 3Observed
    2013-12-29 – 2014-07-28
    Summit Crater
  10. 2002VEI 1Observed
    2002-01-16 – 2002-01-16
  11. 1997VEI 1Observed
    1997-12-31 – end unknown
  12. 1995VEI 1Observed
    1995-01-12 – 1995-04-19
  13. 1985VEI 1Observed
    1985-11-16 – 1986-02-16
  14. 1976VEI 1Observed
    1976-12-02 – 1977-03-01
  15. 1970VEI 1Observed
    1970-03-30 – 1970-04-05
  16. 1967VEI 2Observed
    1967-01-05 – end unknown
  17. 1966VEI 2Observed
    1966-02-22 – end unknown
  18. 1966VEI 2Observed
    1966-07-16 – end unknown
  19. 1965VEI 2Observed
    1965-06-14 – end unknown
    Summit crater
  20. 1964VEI 2Observed
    1964-10-23 – 1964-11-16
  21. 1954VEI 2Observed
    1954-10-21 – 1954-10-21
  22. 1939VEI 2Observed
    1939-05-16 – 1939-07-16
  23. 1936VEI 2Method not stated
    1936-07-02 – end unknown
  24. 1931VEI 2Observed
    1931-03-16 – 1931-06-16
  25. 1930VEI 2Observed
    1930-01-26 – end unknown
  26. 1929VEI 2Observed
    1929-08-16 – end unknown
  27. 1920VEI 2Observed
    1920-08-14 – 1925-07-02
  28. 1919VEI 2Observed
    1919-12-10 – 1920-01-16
  29. 1890VEI 2Observed
    1890-07-02 – 1891-07-02
  30. 1884VEI 2Observed
    1884-01-25 – 1884-01-28
    NE side of main crater
  31. 1882VEI 2Observed
    1882-12-05 – end unknown
  32. 1867VEI 2Observed
    1867-12-14 – 1868-02-16
    WSW flank (1000 m)
  33. 1862VEI 2Observed
    1862-01-16 – end unknown
  34. 1857VEI 2Observed
    1857-11-16 – end unknown
  35. 1855VEI 2Observed
    1855-12-16 – end unknown
    SSE flank (800 m)
  36. 1854VEI 2Method not stated
    1854-07-02 – end unknown
  37. 1844VEI 2Observed
    1844-07-25 – 1848-07-02
    NNW (1120 m) and upper east flanks
  38. 1819VEI 2Observed
    1819-07-18 – end unknown
    SSE flank (400 m; near Los Perolitos)
  39. 1811VEI 2Method not stated
    1811-07-02 – end unknown
  40. 1798VEI 2Method not stated
    1798 – end unknown
  41. 1787VEI 2Observed
    1787-09-21 – 1787-09-23
    Summit, north and SE flanks
  42. 1769VEI 2Observed
    1769 – end unknown
    East flank ?
  43. 1762VEI 2Observed
    1762 – end unknown
    NE flank (400 m)
  44. 1699VEI 2Observed
    1699 – end unknown
    SE flank (400 m)
  45. 1510 (±5 yrs)VEI ?Observed
    1510 – end unknown

Nearby volcanoes

External links

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