🌋VolcanoAtlas

Reventador

Ecuador's Most Restless Volcano

Elevation

3,562 m

Last Eruption

2025 (ongoing since 2008)

Type

Stratovolcano

Country

Ecuador

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

  • Pyroclastic flows
  • Lava flows
  • Volcanic bombs and ballistics
  • Lahars and mudflows

Risk Level

Population at RiskLow
Infrastructure RiskHigh
Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary
Unknown
Silica Content
Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown
Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch
Unknown
Evidence
Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

MetricValueGlobal RankingSignificance
Total Recorded EruptionsUnknownLowModerately active volcano
Maximum VEIVEI UnknownMinorLocal impact potential
Recent Activity-20249982 years agoVery RecentCurrently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program
International eruption database

Current Status

Active
Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP
Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

All Ecuador Volcanoes
Explore by country
Stratovolcano Volcanoes
By volcano type
Cordillera Real, eastern Ecuador
Regional volcanoes

Other Volcanoes in Ecuador

Interesting Facts

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Reventador's name means 'the exploder' in Spanish, a label applied since colonial times and dramatically validated by the 2002 VEI 4 eruption.

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The November 2002 eruption produced a 17-km (56,000-ft) eruption column and deposited several centimeters of ash on Quito, 90 km away, closing the city's airport.

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The 2002 eruption ruptured the Trans-Ecuadorian oil pipeline (SOTE), temporarily halting the country's crude oil exports and causing major economic damage.

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Reventador has been in near-continuous eruption since July 2008 — one of the longest-running active eruptions in the Americas.

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The volcano sits within a 4-km-wide horseshoe-shaped collapse amphitheater, the scar of a catastrophic sector collapse that sent debris avalanches into the Amazon lowlands.

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A young, actively growing cone rises from the amphitheater floor to a height comparable to the rim, demonstrating rapid volcanic construction.

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Reventador lies well east of Ecuador's main Andean volcanic axis, making it the most frequently active volcano in the sub-Andean Cordillera Real.

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The region surrounding Reventador receives over 3,000 mm of rainfall annually, making lahars a persistent hazard as water mobilizes fresh volcanic deposits.

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Ecuador's tallest waterfall, San Rafael (150 m), once located downstream of Reventador, vanished in 2020 due to sinkhole formation — likely linked to erosion of volcanic substrates.

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The volcano lies within the Cayambe-Coca Ecological Reserve, one of Ecuador's largest and most biodiverse protected areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Reventador currently erupting?
Yes, Reventador has been in continuous eruption since July 2008, making it one of the longest-running active eruptions in the Americas as of 2025. Current activity includes Strombolian to Vulcanian explosions, intermittent lava flows from the summit cone, and periodic ash emissions. The Instituto Geofísico de la Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN) monitors the volcano continuously and publishes daily activity reports. Eruption intensity fluctuates, but there has been no significant cessation of volcanic activity since the eruption began over 16 years ago.
What happened during the 2002 Reventador eruption?
On November 3, 2002, Reventador produced its largest recorded eruption, generating a 17-km (56,000-ft) eruption column that reached the stratosphere. The VEI 4 event sent pyroclastic flows up to 8 km from the summit and produced lava flows from summit and flank vents. Ash fell heavily on Quito, approximately 90 km to the west, disrupting the airport, clogging drainage systems, and affecting air quality for the city's residents. The eruption also ruptured the Trans-Ecuadorian oil pipeline (SOTE), temporarily halting Ecuador's crude oil exports.
How far is Reventador from Quito?
Reventador is located approximately 90 km (56 miles) east-southeast of Quito, Ecuador's capital city with a population of roughly 2.8 million. Despite this considerable distance, the 2002 VEI 4 eruption deposited several centimeters of volcanic ash on Quito, demonstrating that the capital lies within the volcano's ashfall hazard zone during major eruptions. Prevailing wind patterns can carry ash westward from Reventador toward the populated Inter-Andean Valley.
Why is Reventador considered dangerous?
Reventador is considered dangerous for several reasons: it has produced a VEI 4 eruption (2002) capable of affecting Quito; it sits near the Trans-Ecuadorian oil pipeline, a critical economic lifeline; its eastern collapse amphitheater channels pyroclastic flows and lahars into populated lowland areas; and heavy rainfall in the region creates persistent lahar hazards. The volcano's frequent eruptions and demonstrated capacity for large explosive events make it one of Ecuador's highest-priority volcanic hazards, despite its relatively remote location.
What type of volcano is Reventador?
Reventador is an andesitic stratovolcano — a steep-sided composite cone built from alternating layers of lava flows, pyroclastic deposits, and volcanic debris. Its most distinctive structural feature is a 4-km-wide horseshoe-shaped collapse amphitheater open to the east, formed by a catastrophic sector collapse. A young, actively growing cone has been constructed within this amphitheater, rising to heights comparable to the rim. The volcano produces both explosive eruptions (Strombolian to sub-Plinian) and effusive lava flows.
How tall is Reventador?
Reventador rises to 3,562 m (11,686 ft) above sea level. While substantial, this is modest compared to Ecuador's highest volcanoes — Chimborazo reaches 6,263 m and Cotopaxi stands at 5,911 m. Reventador's summit elevation is in constant flux due to ongoing eruptive activity that alternately builds and destroys the summit cone. The volcano's base elevation on the eastern Andean slopes means its actual cone prominence is considerable despite the lower summit altitude compared to Inter-Andean volcanoes.