Geologic Background:
Cumbal is a composite near the Ecuadorian border
that consists of two peaks, a NE cone with fumarolic
activity (4,764 m), and the SW peak of Mundo Nuevo, which
has a small glacier in its crater. Many youthful lava
flows extend from the glacier-capped Cumbal volcano, the
southernmost historically active volcano of Colombia.
Flank craters, the youngest of which is Boca de Mundo
Nuevo, have formed along radial fissures on the east and
south flanks of the nearly symmetrical volcano. A young
lava dome occupies the 250-m-wide summit crater and
eruptions from the upper east flank produced a 6-km-long
lava field.
Historic Activity:
- Cumbal is known to have been explosively active twice
during historic time, in 1877 and 1926.
Recent Activity:
- Cumbal showed signs of possible reactivation during
1994. New fumaroles have appeared and the gas column has
grown noticeably larger.
Data Sources
- Global Volcanism Network (V. 15, No. 9 and V. 19, No.
7).
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