Melimoyu

Stratovolcano in Chile

Last Eruption: 200

Key Facts

Elevation

2,400 m (7,874 ft)

Type

Stratovolcano

Location

-44.080°, -72.880°

Region

Southern Andean Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

Melimoyu is a stratovolcano with an 8-km-wide, largely buried caldera located ~40 km NW of the town of Puyuhuapi. The ice-filled caldera is drained by a glacier through a notch in the NE caldera rim. The basaltic andesite volcano is elongated 10 km in an E-W direction and has several cinder cones.

A 1-km-wide crater is located at its summit, and two late-Holocene tephra layers have been documented.

Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Pyroclastic flows
Lava flows
Volcanic bombs and ballistics
Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate

Infrastructure RiskModerate

Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary

Andesite / Basaltic Andesite

Silica Content

Intermediate (57-63% SiO₂)

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Formed by oceanic plate subduction, typically producing explosive eruptions due to water-rich magmas.

Age & Formation

Epoch

Holocene

Evidence

Eruption Dated

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	1826 years ago	Historical	Historically active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program

International eruption database

Current Status

Normal

No recent activity. Routine monitoring continues.

Nearby Volcanoes in South America Volcanic Regions

Regional Volcanic Activity

The South America Volcanic Regions contains multiple active volcanic systems. Cross-regional magma interactions and tectonic stresses can influence eruption patterns across the entire arc. Monitor regional seismic activity and volcanic alerts.

Quick Info

•Smithsonian ID: 358052
•Evidence: Eruption Dated
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

Glacier-clad Melimoyu volcano is seen from the NW from the town of Quellon on the island of Chiloe. The volcano lies across the Gulf of Corcovado beyond the small island cutting across the image in the foreground. Two prominent horns at the summit of the volcano rise above the rim of the summit crater. The large stratovolcano has an 8-km-wide, largely buried ice-filled caldera that is drained by a glacier through a notch in the NE caldera rim. Two late-Holocene tephra layers have been documented from Melimoyu.

Photo by Bryan Freeman, 2005.