Facts About Santa Maria Volcano: Things To Know About 'Gagxanul'

Anusuya Mukherjee
Nov 03, 2023 By Anusuya Mukherjee
Originally Published on Apr 05, 2022
Active Volcanoes in the highlands of Guatemala

Situated in Guatemala, Central America, Santa Maria is a large volcano.

Santa Maria is described as a stratovolcano. One of the most explosive eruptions of this volcano occurred in 1902.

The 1902 eruption is, in fact, among the top three biggest eruptions of the 20th century. Santa Maria is also known as Gagxanul.

The Plinian eruption claimed as many as 5000 lives. Not only that, but it also formed a big hole in the south flank. El Caliente is the only active dome of Santa Maria.

The other three domes are called, El Monje, El Brujo and La Mitad. There are various safety and health hazards that the people who live in the surrounding regions of the Santa Maria volcano have to face.

One is the constant risk of the eruptions destroying agricultural produce. Coffee plantation is a major part of the agriculture in those regions. Apart from that, the ash produced because of the eruptions often drifts to the cities and towns surrounding the volcano.

This causes severe breathing problems for the residents of those cities. Santiaguito has become quite a famous tourist spot.

Every year, people from various parts of the world come here to get a firsthand experience. The sound of the eruptions is almost similar to that of a flying jet.

Tectonic Plate Setting

Located in the southwestern regions of Guatemala, Santa Maria is a large and active volcano. To be specific, it is a stratovolcano, which means that it is built up of alternate layers of lava and ash.

Among one of the most active volcanoes, Santa Maria is 12,375 ft (3772 m) high.

The highlands of southwestern Guatemala, where this volcano is situated, was formed by the subduction of the Caribbean plate on top of the Cocos plate. As a result, a line of stratovolcanos was formed across the Pacific coast, located in Central America.

Another name for Santa Maria volcano is Gagxanul, which was given by the K'iche' natives of the central highland.

Geological History

The volcanic eruptions at Santa Maria date back to the early 103 ka. A series of lava flows and domes were formed after the 1902 eruption.

Because of its active nature, Santa Maria poses a high risk for the people living near it. For this reason, it was declared a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior.

The 1902 eruption destroyed a large part of the volcano. It further led to the eruption in the crater of the southwest flank.

An interesting fact about the 1902 Plinian eruption is that it is among the largest eruptions of the 20th century. Yet another major concern of this particular volcano is that, since the volcanic eruption of 1902, the development of the dome has further led to the formation of pyroclastic flows.

Pyroclastic flows can be defined as a dense mass of hot ash and lava fragments.

Eruption History

The three biggest eruptions of the 20th century are the 1912 Novarupta, 1991 Mount Pinatubo, and the 1902 eruption. The Plinian eruption claimed as many as 5000 lives. Not only that, but it also formed a big hole in the south flank.

The eruption, however, was not sudden. A series of events led to it. The eruption occurred in October 1902.

Before this, there was a major earthquake that struck the region in April of the same year. Till October 1902, the Santa Maria volcano was dormant.

There were no reports of any eruption for as many as 500 years. Some estimate it to be thousand years as well. The catastrophic event, which continued for several weeks, claimed many lives, and a considerable number of people lost their loved ones in the eruption.

Yet another eruption of the Santiaguito volcano occurred in the year 1922, almost 20 years after the horrifying event of 1902. It led to the creation of lava flows and lava domes. In the year 1929, pyroclastic flows killed as many as 6000 people who lived in that region.

Santiaguito

Santiaguito is the lava-dome complex of Santa Maria Volcano. There are four other domes in Santiaguito, namely El Caliente, El Monje, El Brujo and La Mitad.

Three out of these lava domes are inactive, and El Caliente is the only active dome. There have not been any cases of large eruptions, like that of the 1902 eruptions, except for some minor eruptions and pyroclastic flows.

The central vent at the summit of El Caliente has two formations, an outer ring and a small vent in the shape of a ring. At the time of the eruption, these rings at the summit get heated up because of the release of the ash and gas.

An interesting fact about the eruptions at El Caliente summit is that the duration between the eruptions is measured by hours and not days or years. This has made Santiaguito a central place of tourist attraction.

Almost every year, tourists from various corners of the world flock in to witness this beautiful experience firsthand. The sound emitted during the eruptions sounds practically similar to that of a flying jet.

You can also see rocks falling off the slopes of El Caliente, which usually occurs sometimes before or after the eruption. The rockfalls occur mainly because of the shaking of the eruption.

Other Miscellaneous Facts

There are various volcanic hazards that the people who live in the surrounding regions of the Santa Maria volcano have to face. Agricultural practices have been quite common in these regions of Central America, coffee being the primary production.

However, the eruptions do pose not only a threat to the land but also the people working on those lands. Places like the towns of El Palmar, San Felipe, and Quetzaltenango have to suffer the most because of the volcano.

Furthermore, sometimes the ash from the Santa María volcano often drifts to the cities and lands surrounding it. This not only harms the crops of those lands but also causes severe breathing problems for the residents of those towns and cities.

Last but not least, volcanic mudflows are yet another hazard that people have to face.

The new town of El Palmar is always in constant threat of being overflowed with volcanic mudflow, also known as a lahar. In the year 1980, the original town of El Palmar was destroyed by lahar.

FAQs

Q: How many times has the Santa María volcano erupted?

A: Santa Maria volcano erupted three times, in 1902, 1903, and 1922. The active part of Santa María volcano is called Santiaguito. There have been minor eruptions of this volcano over the years, although there have been no such reports of casualties.

Q: How long did the Santa Maria volcano last?

A: The 1902 eruption of this particular volcano lasted for weeks. Researchers at the geological society claim that the eruption continued for 19 days. As many as 5000 people were killed due to this, and the river valleys of the regions also got contaminated with ash flow deposits.

Q: How old is the Santa Maria volcano?

A: The Santa Maria volcano is reported to be almost 30,000 years old.

Q: Is the Santa María volcano still active?

A: Yes, the Santa Maria volcano is still active, and there have been known cases of various eruptions over the years. However, unlike the 1902 large eruption, the recent ones are mild in intensity.

Q: When did the Santa Maria volcano last erupt?

A: According to reports, the last eruption of the Santa Maria volcano occurred on August 22, 2013.

Q: What type of volcano is Santa María?

A: Santa Maria is described as a stratovolcano. A stratovolcano is typically a type of volcano that is composed of alternate layers of ash and lava.

Q: Is Santa Maria along the Ring of Fire?

A: Yes, Santa Maria is situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire. There are as many as 452 volcanoes situated in this area. Most of these volcanoes are active and have the potential to destroy the surrounding cities on a large scale.

Q: How tall is Santa Maria volcano?

A: Santa Maria is estimated to be 12,375 ft (3772 m).

Q: What happened when Santa Maria erupted in 2013?

A: The Santa Maria eruption of 2013 led to the collapse of the topmost part of the dome of El Caliente. This led to the release of pyroclastic flows and ash plumes.

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Written by Anusuya Mukherjee

Bachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights

Anusuya Mukherjee picture

Anusuya MukherjeeBachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights

With a wealth of international experience spanning Europe, Africa, North America, and the Middle East, Anusuya brings a unique perspective to her work as a Content Assistant and Content Updating Coordinator. She holds a law degree from India and has practiced law in India and Kuwait. Anusuya is a fan of rap music and enjoys a good cup of coffee in her free time. Currently, she is working on her novel, "Mr. Ivory Merchant".

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