Gada Ale
Stratovolcano in Ethiopia
Key Facts
Elevation
287 m (942 ft)
Type
Stratovolcano
Location
13.975°, 40.408°
Region
Afar Rift Volcanic Province
Rock Type
Basalt / Picro-Basalt
Tectonic Setting
Rift zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Gada Ale (also known as Kebrit Ale), the most prominent volcano at the northern end of the Erta Ale Range, is formed of interstratified lava flows and hyaloclastites. Fumarolic activity is continuing, and the summit crater contains a small lake with hot mud. Like other Erta Ale Range volcanoes, Gada Ale is considered to be of Holocene age (Barberi and Varet, 1970).
A fissure on the SE flank has produced spatter cones and a cinder cone; the latter fed lava flows that reach to Lake Bakili. The symmetrical Catherine tuff ring is located along this same SE trend west of Lake Bakili, and other tuff rings occur on the east side of the lake. A 2-km-wide salt dome to the west has uplifted lava flows as much as 100 m, and the structure of Gada Ale itself appears to be related to salt diapir uplift.
Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment
Primary Hazards
- Pyroclastic flows
- Lava flows
- Volcanic bombs and ballistics
- Lahars and mudflows
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 | Unknown | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 221050
- •Evidence: Evidence Credible
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
Gada Ale (upper right) is the most prominent volcano at the northern end of the Erta Ale Range. The 287-m-high volcano is seen here from the S, with two small lakes on its lower NW flank. Lake Aasale (Lake Karum) at about 116 m below sea level, is in the background. Prominent fissures (lower right) are adjacent to an uplifted salt dome (lower left). Salt diapir uplift has affected both this 2-km-wide area W of the volcano (where lava flows are uplifted as much as 100 m) and Gada Ale itself.
Copyrighted photo by Marco Fulle, 2002 (Stromboli On-Line, http://stromboli.net).
Authority Sources
Related Volcanoes
Basic Information
This page shows basic data from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. For more detailed information, visit the official Smithsonian page.