| Almolonga volcano | |
|---|---|
| (Cerro Quemado) | |
 The rounded hills in the middle, are part of a chain of lava domes of the Almolonga volcanic field | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,197 m (10,489 ft) |
| Coordinates | 14°48′0″N91°31′12″W / 14.80000°N 91.52000°W /14.80000; -91.52000 |
| Geography | |
  Almolonga volcano Guatemala | |
| Location | Quetzaltenango,Guatemala |
| Parent range | Sierra Madre |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Volcanic arc | Central America Volcanic Arc |
| Last eruption | January to June 1818 |
TheAlmolonga volcano, also called "Cerro Quemado" (Burned Mountain) or "La Muela" (The Molar) due to its distinct shape, is anandesiticstratovolcano in the south-western department ofQuetzaltenango inGuatemala. Part of the mountain range of theSierra Madre, the volcano is located near the town ofAlmolonga, just south ofQuetzaltenango, Guatemala's second largest city.
The volcano is set along theZunil fault zone and has a central caldera surrounded by severaldacitic andrhyoliticlava domes and formed in aback-arc volcanic setting, with activity commencing 84,000BP. Almolongastratovolcano is the oldest edifice and underwent collapse prior to the caldera forming eruption ofLake Atitlan, the major chronological marker of volcanism in the region. The collapse of the stratovolcano left acaldera with a diameter of 3,3 km and a depth of 350m that was subsequently occupied by lava domes on its northern edge and covered bytephra layers from numerous volcanoes, both in the Almolonga field and others. Cerro Quemado is the largest (about 2 km3) and youngest lava dome complex formed by eight vents with viscous lava flows and plugs during four distinct volcanic phases - the first two involving effusion of lava and formation of new domes. Cerro Quemado underwent aflank collapse 1,150BP, generating a landslide that went 6 km SSW in theLlano de Pinal valley and occupied an area of 13 km2, generating a lateral blast that affected the neighbouringVolcán Siete Orejas volcano as well. A lava dome emerged inside the collapse scar subsequently. 1818 an eruption formed a block lava flow over half a year that travelled 2.5 km eastward. Lahars and further explosive activity are potential hazards from this volcano.
| Guatemala |  | |
|---|---|---|
| El Salvador | ||
| Nicaragua | ||
| Costa Rica | ||
| Panama | ||
Note: volcanoes are ordered from north-west to south-east. | ||
