Global Volcanism Program | Tungurahua

The launch of a new GVP website is scheduled for Monday, May 20, 2013.

Volcano Information

Eruptive History

Data Criteria

Region Information

Tungurahua

More recent eruptive activity has been reported during 2011. Details can be found in the Monthly or Weekly Reports.

Start Date: 2010 Nov 22

Stop Date: 2011 Jan 1 (on or after)

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?

Lava Volume: 3.0 ± 0.9 x 10⁵ m³

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Lava flow(s)
    Damage (land, property, etc.)
    Mudflow(s) (lahars)
    Evacuation

Start Date: 2010 Jan 1

Stop Date: 2010 Jul 29

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Damage (land, property, etc.)
    Mudflow(s) (lahars)
    Evacuation

Start Date: 1999 Oct 5

Stop Date: 2009 Jul 8 ± 7 days

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Lava flow(s)
    Lava lake eruption (?)
    Fatalities
    Damage (land, property, etc.)
    Mudflow(s) (lahars)
    Evacuation

Start Date: 1993 May 6

Stop Date: 1993 May 6

Eruption is UNCERTAIN

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 1?

Eruptive Characteristics:
Central vent eruption
Phreatic explosion(s) (?)

Start Date: 1944

Eruption is UNCERTAIN

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2

Eruptive Characteristics:
Central vent eruption
Explosive eruption (?)

Start Date: 1916 Mar 3

Stop Date: 1925 Dec 1 ± 30 days

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Phreatic explosion(s)
    Lava flow(s)
    Damage (land, property, etc.)
    Mudflow(s) (lahars)

Start Date: 1900

Eruption is UNCERTAIN

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2?

Eruptive Characteristics:
Central vent eruption
Explosive eruption (?)

Start Date: 1886 Jan 11

Stop Date: 1888 ± 1 year

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4

Lava Volume: 8.9 x 10⁷ m³

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Lava flow(s)
    Fatalities
    Damage (land, property, etc.)
    Mudflow(s) (lahars)

Start Date: 1885 Jan (?)

Stop Date: 1885 Oct 16

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2?

Eruptive Characteristics:
Central vent eruption
Explosive eruption

Start Date: 1857 Sep 10 (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2?

Eruptive Characteristics:
Central vent eruption
Explosive eruption

Start Date: 1781

Eruption is UNCERTAIN

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2

Eruptive Characteristics:
Central vent eruption
Lava flow(s) (?)

Start Date: 1777

Eruption is UNCERTAIN

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption (?)
    Lava flow(s) (?)

Start Date: 1776 Jan 3

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Phreatic explosion(s)

Start Date: 1773 Feb 4

Stop Date: 1773 Jul (?)

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3

Lava Volume: 1.0 x 10⁸ m³

Area of Activity: (P2 tephra; eruption began in 1773, not 1772)

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Lava flow(s)
    Damage (land, property, etc.)
    Mudflow(s) (lahars)
    Evacuation

Start Date: 1757

Eruption is UNCERTAIN

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2

Eruptive Characteristics:
Central vent eruption
Explosive eruption (?)

Start Date: 1644

Stop Date: 1646 (?)

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Damage (land, property, etc.)

Start Date: 1640

Stop Date: 1641

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Damage (land, property, etc.)

Start Date: 1557

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Historical Records

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 2

Eruptive Characteristics:
Central vent eruption
Explosive eruption

Start Date: 1350 ± 50 years

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (corrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 1250 ± 50 years

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (corrected)

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 1030 ± 75 years

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Area of Activity: (tephra layer F)

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 800 AD (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 730 AD ± 200 years

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4?

Tephra Volume: 9.5 x 10⁷ m³

Area of Activity: (P1 tephra unit)

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 600 AD (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 480 AD ± 75 years

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Lava Volume: 5.7 x 10⁸ m³

Eruptive Characteristics:
Central vent eruption
Explosive eruption

Start Date: 350 AD (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 200 AD (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 100 AD (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 50 BC (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Lava flow(s)

Start Date: 100 BC (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Lava flow(s)

Start Date: 270 BC ± 100 years

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Lava flow(s)

Start Date: 500 BC (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 3?

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Start Date: 1010 BC ± 100 years

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 5

Tephra Volume: 1.3 x 10⁹ m³

Area of Activity: (collapse of Tungurahua II edifice)

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)
    Lava flow(s)
    Fatalities
    Damage (land, property, etc.)
    Mudflow(s) (lahars)
    Debris avalanche(s)

Start Date: 7750 BC (?)

Stop Date: Unknown

Dating Technique: Radiocarbon (uncorrected)

Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI): 4

Tephra Volume: > 1 x 10⁸ m³

Eruptive Characteristics:
    Central vent eruption
    Explosive eruption
    Pyroclastic flow(s)

Global Volcanism Program — Department of Mineral Sciences — National Museum of Natural History — Smithsonian Institution

Tungurahua » Eruptive History

Volcano Information

Eruptive History

Data Criteria

Region Information

Tungurahua

Volcanoes of the World

Find a Volcano by Region

Find a Volcano by Name

Find a Volcano by Eruption Date

Global Volcano Lists

Large Holocene Eruptions

Types and Processes Gallery

About Volcanoes of the World

Volcanic Activity Reports

Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network

Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

About Volcanic Activity Reports

Educational Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Video Gallery

Photo Galleries

Media Coverage

Volcanology Links

Information

Products

Staff and Volunteers

Search Options

About the Global Volcanism Program

About Volcanoes of the World

About Volcanic Activity Reports

About Google Earth Placemarks