According to INGEOMINAS, Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported that at 0732 on 9 September a M 3.6 volcano-tectonic earthquake occurred below the main lava dome at Cerro Machín at a depth of 3.2 km, and was felt by nearby residents. The Alert Level remained at III (Yellow; "changes in the behavior of volcanic activity").

5 September 2012            Back to Top

According to INGEOMINAS, Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported that at 0732 on 9 September a M 3.6 volcano-tectonic earthquake occurred below the main lava dome at Cerro Machín at a depth of 3.2 km, and was felt by nearby residents. The Alert Level remained at III (Yellow; "changes in the behavior of volcanic activity").

Sources: Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (INGEOMINAS)

29 December 2010            Back to Top

According to INGEOMINAS, Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported a period of increased seismicity from Cerro Machín on 31 December. A total of 346 volcano-tectonic events no stronger than M 2.1 were located S and SW of the main lava dome. On 1 January seismicity again increased, and at the time of the report, 367 events had been detected. The low-magnitude events were located S and SW of the main dome at depths between 2.5 and 4.5 km. The largest event, M 2.3, was located S of the dome at a depth of about 3.3 km and felt by residents near the volcano and in the municipality of Cajamarca, 14 km WSW. The Alert level remained at III (Yellow; "changes in the behavior of volcanic activity").

Sources: Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (INGEOMINAS)

1 December 2010            Back to Top

According to INGEOMINAS, Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported increased seismicity from Cerro Machín on 3 December. About 340 volcano-tectonic earthquakes with low magnitudes were located SW of the main lava dome, at an average depth of 4 km. The largest event, a M 3.7 earthquake located SW of the dome at a depth of about 3.5 km, was felt by local residents. The Alert level remained at III (Yellow; "changes in the behavior of volcanic activity").

Sources: Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (INGEOMINAS)

15 September 2010            Back to Top

According to INGEOMINAS, Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported increased seismicity from Cerro Machín on 17 September. About 140 volcano-tectonic earthquakes as large as M 1.85 were located S and SW of the main lava dome at depths of 2-4 km. The Alert level remained at III (Yellow; "changes in the behavior of volcanic activity").

Sources: Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (INGEOMINAS)

28 July 2010            Back to Top

Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported a seismic crisis at Cerro Machín on 24 July, characterized by volcano-tectonic earthquakes. One of the earthquakes was a M 2.6, located S of the main lava dome at a depth of 3.96 km. The next day a M 4.1 volcano-tectonic earthquake occurred 0.8 km S of the main dome at a depth of 3.88 km. On 29 July the number of volcano-tectonic events increased; the earthquakes were a maximum M 1.73 and between 3 and 4 km depth, S of the main dome. The Alert level remained at III (Yellow; "changes in the behavior of volcanic activity").

Sources: Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (INGEOMINAS)

17 December 2008            Back to Top

Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported that a swarm of 98 earthquakes occurred at Machín on 17 December SE of the lava domes at depths of 2-6 km. The largest earthquake was M 2.6 at a depth of 3.8 km.

Sources: Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (INGEOMINAS)

5 November 2008            Back to Top

Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported a seismic crisis at Cerro Machín on 9 November. The majority of the earthquakes occurred underneath the central and E parts of the lava dome complex in the summit caldera, at depths of 2.5-5 km. Fumarolic activity in the area increased, and cracks in the ground and damage to houses were reported. Seismicity decreased the next day. According to news articles, approximately 400-450 people evacuated to shelters or other safe areas and landslides blocked a highway.

Sources: El Tiempo , Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (INGEOMINAS) , Caracol Radio , Portafolio

23 January 2008            Back to Top

Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported unusual seismicity at Machín during 6-8 January. Long-period earthquakes were detected S of the main lava dome. On 7 January, volcano-tectonic seismic signals were registered and occasionally felt and reported by near by residents. The simultaneous occurrence of both types of seismic signals was unusual for Machín.

Sources: Instituto Colombiano de Geología y Minería (INGEOMINAS)

12 May 2004            Back to Top

According to news articles, the Observatory Vulcanológico and Sismológico de Manizales reported that there was an increase in seismicity at Machín in April. About 60 earthquakes were recorded daily, in comparison to the 1-10 earthquakes normally recorded. No surficial changes were seen at the volcano.

Sources: El Tiempo

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.

Cuellar-Rodriguez J V, Ramirez-Lopez C, 1987. Descripcion de los volcanes Colombianos. {Rev CIAF, Bogota}, p 189-222

Hantke G, Parodi I, 1966. Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. {Catalog of Active Volcanoes of the World and Solfatara Fields}, Rome: IAVCEI, 19: 1-73

Katsui Y (ed), 1971. List of the World Active Volcanoes. {Volc Soc Japan draft ms}, (limited circulation), 160 p

Mendez Fajury R A, 1989. Catalogo de los volcanes activos en Colombia. {Bol Geol INGEOMINAS, Colombia}, 30: 1-75

Murcia H F, Hurtado B O, Cortes G P, Macías J L, Cepeda H, 2008. The ~2500 yr B.P. Chicoral non-cohesive debris flow from Cerro Machín Volcano, Colombia. {J Volc Geotherm Res}, 171: 201-214

Thouret J-C, Cantagrel J-M, Robin C, Murcia A, Salinas R, Cepeda H, 1995. Quaternary eruptive history and hazard-zone model at Nevado del Tolima and Cerro Machin volcanoes, Colombia. {J Volc Geotherm Res}, 66: 397-426

The small Cerro Machín stratovolcano lies at the southern end of the Ruiz-Tolima massif about 20 km WNW of the city of Ibagué. A 3-km-wide caldera is breached to the south and contains three forested dacitic lava domes. Voluminous pyroclastic flows traveled up to 40 km from the volcano during eruptions in the mid-to-late Holocene perhaps associated with formation of the caldera. Late-Holocene eruptions produced dacitic block-and-ash flows that traveled through the breach in the caldera rim to the west and south. The latest known eruption of Volcán Cerro Machín took place about 800 years ago.