Costa Rica · Stratovolcano
Turrialba
- Type
- Stratovolcano
- Elevation
- 3340m
- Last eruption
- 2022

- Type
- Stratovolcano
- Country
- Costa Rica
- Region
- Middle America & Caribbean / Central America Volcanic Arc
- Elevation
- 3340m
- Coordinates
- 10.025, -83.767
- Last eruption
- 2022
- Tectonic setting
- Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
- Landform
- Composite
- Major rock type
- Andesite / Basaltic andesite
Geological summary
Turrialba, the easternmost of Costa Rica's Holocene volcanoes, is a large vegetated basaltic-to-dacitic stratovolcano located across a broad saddle NE of Irazú volcano overlooking the city of Cartago. The massive edifice covers an area of 500 km2. Three well-defined craters occur at the upper SW end of a broad 800 x 2200 m summit depression that is breached to the NE. Most activity originated from the summit vent complex, but two pyroclastic cones are located on the SW flank. Five major explosive eruptions have occurred during the past 3500 years. A series of explosive eruptions during the 19th century were sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows. Fumarolic activity continues at the central and SW summit craters.
From Wikipedia
Turrialba Volcano is an active volcano in central Costa Rica that has been eruptive in recent years including 2016 and in January, March, and April 2017. Visitors used to be able to hike down into the main crater, but increased volcanic activity in 2014–17, resulting in large clouds of volcanic ash, led to the closure of the surrounding Turrialba Volcano National Park. However, with the eruptions subsiding, the park and access to the volcano reopened on December 4, 2020.
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Eruption history
25 recordedGlossaryDetailed timeline
- 2022VEI 1Observed2022-07-17 – 2022-07-17
- 2021VEI 1Observed2021-06-13 – 2021-07-23
- 2021VEI 1Observed2021-11-03 – 2022-02-28
- 2020VEI 1Observed2020-06-18 – 2020-08-24
- 2015VEI 3Observed2015-03-08 – 2019-10-28Cráter Central, Cráter Oeste
- 2014VEI 2Observed2014-10-29 – 2014-12-08West Crater
- 2013VEI 1Observed2013-05-21 – 2013-06-04West Crater
- 2012VEI 2Observed2012-01-12 – 2012-01-18West Crater (SE flank)
- 2011VEI 1Observed2011-01-14 – 2011-01-14West Crater
- 2010VEI 2Observed2010-01-05 – 2010-03-07SW crater
- 2010VEI 2Observed2010-07-24 – 2010-08-15
- 1866VEI 3Observed1866-01-16 – 1866-05-08Central and SW summit craters
- 1864VEI 2Observed1864-08-17 – 1865-03-16Central and SW summit craters
- 1861VEI ?Method not stated1861-07-02 – end unknown
- 1855VEI 2Observed1855-05-16 – end unknown
- 1853VEI 2Observed1853-07-02 – end unknown
- 1847VEI ?Method not stated1847-07-02 – end unknown
- 1723VEI 1Method not stated1723 – end unknown
- 1350VEI ?Geological estimate1350 – end unknown
- 640 (±40 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate640 – end unknown
- 40 (±50 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate40 – end unknownCentral summit crater
- 830 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate830 BCE – end unknown
- 1120 BCE (±200 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate1120 BCE – end unknown
- 1420 BCE (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate1420 BCE – end unknown
- 7260 BCE (±300 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate7260 BCE – end unknownNE summit crater
Nearby volcanoes
External links
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