Sangay Volcano

Updated: Apr 10, 2025 12:30 GMT - refresh

Stratovolcano

Ecuador, -2°S / -78.34°W

+Local time:

Sunrise:

Sunset:

Moonrise:

Moonset:

Summit height: 5230 m (17,159 ft)

Current status: erupting (4 out of 5)

Last update: 10 Apr 2025 (Volcanic Ash Advisory)

Sangay volcano during an eruption in Jan 2020 seen from Macas

Sangay volcano is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world and one of Ecuador's most active ones. Located isolated east of the Andean crest, with it's perfect steep cone shape and glacier-covered top, it towers majestically at 5230 m high above the Amazonian rainforest.

[smaller] [larger]

Sangay webcams / live data | News/Updates | Earthquakes

Typical eruption style: Explosive. In historic time: frequent, intermittent strombolian activity
Sangay volcano eruptions: 1934-ongoing (as of 2020), 1728-1916, 1628 (first observation) - ?

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Distance / Location

View recent quakes

Background

Sangay has had frequent eruptions in historic times, mostly of strombolian type. The present-day volcano was built within horseshoe-shaped calderas of two previous edifices, which were destroyed by collapse to the east, producing large debris avalanches that reached the Amazonian lowlands. The modern edifice dates back to at least 14,000 years ago.
Sangay towers above the tropical jungle on the east side; on the other sides flat plains of ash from the volcano have been sculpted by heavy rains into steep-walled canyons up to 600 m deep. The earliest report of a historical eruption was in 1628. More or less continuous eruptions were reported from 1728 until 1916, and again from 1934 to the present. The more or less constant eruptive activity has caused frequent changes to the morphology of the summit crater complex.

---
Source: GVP Sangay volcano information

Significant volcanic eruptions: Sangay volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Sangay has had at least 11 confirmed eruptions, all documented by historical records or observations.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Sangay volcano in historic times and during the past 10,000 years. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Sangay can be found on the news page of Sangay volcano.

Date	Note	VEI	Deaths	Damage
2019 Mar 26 - ongoing	Historical obs./docs.	2
2021 Mar 5 (eruption 2019 Mar 26 - ongoing)	Historical obs./docs.	2		moderate	Info
2021 Mar 5: Ash plumes were notable during 5-6 March and impacted communities downwind with ashfall [...] SNGRE reported that the ashfall affected a total of 108,457 people (23,750 families) as well as numerous crops and animals; they distributed volcano-related aid kits to impacted populations. (reference #2432) Forty-two thousand hectares of crops are destroyed, while some forty-seven thousand animals are affected. (reference #12896) Cited references #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). #12896 Ecuavisa (Ecuador) (2021): Las provincias mas afectadas por la ceniza del Sangay. Published 08 March 2021. Link. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
2018 Aug 8 - Dec 7	Historical obs./docs.	2
2018 Feb 25	Summit crater Historical obs./docs.	1
2017 Jul 20 - Oct 19	Summit crater Historical obs./docs.	2
2016 Mar 17 ±2 d. - Nov 17	Summit crater Historical obs./docs.	2
2015 Jan 18 - Apr 7	Summit crater complex Historical obs./docs.	2
2013 Jan 25 - May 24	Summit crater complex Historical obs./docs.	2
2011 Jun 6 - 2012 Sep 19	Summit crater complex Historical obs./docs.	2
1934 Aug 8 - 2011 Mar 2	Historical obs./docs.	3
1976 Aug 12 (eruption 1934 Aug 8 - 2011 Mar 2)	Historical obs./docs.	3	2		Info
1976 Aug 12: 2 killed and 4 seriously injured as British Vulcan Expedition neared summit of perennially active cone. Cited references #1412 Simkin, Tom, and Lee Siebert with the collaboration of Russell Blong, Jonathan Dehn, Christopher Newhall, Roland Pool, and Thomas C. Stein (1994): Volcanoes of the World, Second Edition, A Regional Directory, Gazetteer, and Chronology of Volcanism During the Last 10,000 Years, Geoscience Press, Inc., Tucson, Arizona, in association with Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program, Washington, D.C., p. 164-176. #2432 Venzke, E., R.W. Wunderman, L. McClelland, T. Simkin, J.F. Luhr, L. Siebert, and G. Mayberry (eds.) (2002-): Global Volcanism, 1968 to the Present. Smithsonian Institution, Global Volcanism Program Digital Information Series, GVP-4 (http://www.volcano.si.edu/reports/). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
1728 Sep 30 ±30 d. - 1916 or before	Historical obs./docs.	3
1628 AD Oct	Historical obs./docs.	3

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Sangay Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Sangay volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Sangay began in 2019 and is continuing (as of April 2025).

+How often does Sangay volcano erupt?

Sangay volcano erupts almost every year. Since its first historically documented eruption 1628 AD, Sangay has often been near-continuously active. The Global Volcanism Project counts 11 historic eruptions until now, spanning a total of 281 out of 397 years. In other words, Sangay is active roughly every one in 1.4 years on average. This value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruption might not contain all eruptions, especially further back in time. The last eruption of Sangay began in 2019 and is continuing (as of April 2025).

+How active is Sangay volcano at present?

Sangay volcano is extremely active: Since 1900, it has been near-continuously active, showing eruptive activity during 108 years out of 126 as of now. The latest eruption is still continuing at present.

+When was the largest eruption of Sangay volcano?

The largest eruption of Sangay volcano in historic times occurred during 1934 - 2011. It ranks as a "vulcanian" eruption with a magnitude 3 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

Latest satellite images

Sangay Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).