No latest activity reported for Chyulu Hills.

Below is a summary of eruption dates and Volcanic Explosivity Indices (VEI).

The following references are the sources used for data regarding this volcano. References are linked directly to our volcano data file. Discussion of another volcano or eruption (sometimes far from the one that is the subject of the manuscript) may produce a citation that is not at all apparent from the title. Additional discussion of data sources can be found under Volcano Data Criteria.

Haug G H, Strecker M R, 1995. Volcano-tectonic evolution of the Chyulu Hills and implications for the regional stress field in Kenya. {Geology}, 23: 165-16

Richard J J, Neumann van Padang M, 1957. Africa and the Red Sea. {Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields}, Rome: IAVCEI 4: 1-118

Saggerson E P, 1963. Geology of the Simba-Kibwezi area. {Geol Surv Kenya Rpt}, 58: 1-70

Spath A, Le Roex A P, Opiyo-Akech N, 2001. Plume-lithosphere interaction and the origin of continental rift-related alkaline volcanism--the Chyulu Hills volcanic province, southern Kenya. {J Petr}, 42: 765-787

The 100-km-long NW-SE-trending Chyulu Hills volcanic field is located 150 km east of the Kenya Rift. It contains several hundred small cones and flows, including numerous Recent cinder cones. Two of these, Shaitani and Chainu, erupted during the mid-19th century. Volcanic activity began about 1.4 million years ago with eruptions in the northern Chyulu Hills and migrated to the SE, where a large number of Holocene cones are found. Many of the cinder cones are aligned along dominantly NW-trending older faults and younger NNE-trending fissures. The silica contents of the lava flows increased with time. Early flows consisted of foidites; later Holocene lava flows are basanites and alkali basalts.