Erta Ale
The Gateway to Hell — Earth's Longest-Lived Lava Lake
585 m
1967–present (ongoing)
Shield volcano
Ethiopia
Location
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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Lava flows and fountaining
- Volcanic gas emissions
- Local explosive activity
Risk Level
Geological Composition & Structure
Rock Types
Tectonic Setting
Age & Formation
Eruption Statistics & Analysis
| Metric | Value | Global Ranking | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Recorded Eruptions | Unknown | Low | Moderately active volcano |
| Maximum VEI | VEI Unknown | Minor | Local impact potential |
| Recent Activity | 59 years ago | Historical | Recently active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Authority Sources
Interesting Facts
Erta Ale has maintained a persistent lava lake for at least 58 years (since 1967), and possibly for over 119 years (since 1906) — making it one of the longest-lived lava lakes ever documented on Earth.
The volcano stands at just 585 m above sea level, but its base lies below sea level in the Danakil Depression — its true edifice rises over 600 m from the depression floor.
The Danakil Depression surrounding Erta Ale is one of the hottest places on Earth, with average annual temperatures above 34°C and summer maxima exceeding 50°C (122°F).
Erta Ale sits at the Afar Triple Junction where three tectonic plates (Nubian, Somali, and Arabian) are pulling apart — one of the only places where a mid-ocean ridge spreading center is exposed above sea level.
The summit lava lake is typically 60–100 m in diameter and exhibits constant convection — the surface crusts over, darkens, then cracks open to reveal glowing magma in a continuously repeating cycle.
In January 2017, the summit lava lake drained rapidly as a fissure eruption opened 7 km away on the northeast flank, demonstrating that the magma plumbing system extends far beyond the summit.
Only five volcanoes on Earth currently host persistent lava lakes: Erta Ale, Kilauea (USA), Nyiragongo (DR Congo), Erebus (Antarctica), and Masaya (Nicaragua).
The Danakil Depression, where Erta Ale stands, is a nascent ocean basin — in roughly 10 million years, the rift will widen enough to flood with seawater, and Erta Ale will become a submarine volcano.
In 2012, armed militants attacked a tourist group at Erta Ale, killing five visitors and kidnapping others — underscoring that human security risks in the Afar region rival the volcanic hazards.
Erta Ale's basaltic lava is chemically similar to mid-ocean ridge basalt rather than typical continental rift magma, reflecting the extremely thinned crust (15–25 km) beneath the Afar Triangle.
The volcano's 50-km-wide shield edifice is one of the broadest volcanic structures in Africa, though its low profile makes it nearly invisible from a distance — it is detected primarily by the persistent glow and plume above the summit.
Explorer Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed the Danakil Depression in the 1930s, described the region as 'the cruelest place on Earth' — a reputation Erta Ale's molten summit continues to reinforce.