Rungwe
Stratovolcano in Tanzania
Key Facts
Elevation
2,953 m (9,688 ft)
Type
Stratovolcano
Location
-9.135°, 33.668°
Region
Rukwa Rift Volcanic Province
Rock Type
Trachyte / Trachydacite
Tectonic Setting
Rift zone
Location
Loading map...
Overview
Rungwe volcano, the largest in the Karonga basin NW of Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa), is cut by a 4-km-wide caldera that is breached to the WSW. Hummocky terrain from a debris-avalanche deposit produced by collapse of the summit and western flank extends at least 20 km SW of the volcano. The trachytic caldera is largely filled by a series of youthful-looking uneroded and sparsely vegetated pumice cones, lava domes, and explosion craters.
The latter are also found on the southern and northern flanks. A large area of basaltic cones and lava flows are found on the NW flank, and youthful-looking lava flows extend SW from vents inside the caldera. Explosive and effusive eruptions were produced during the Holocene; the largest explosive eruption took place about 4,000 years ago, and the most recent about 1,200 years ago.
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 | 776 years ago | Historical | Historically active |
Monitoring & Alert Status
Monitoring Networks
Current Status
Nearby Volcanoes in Eastern Africa Volcanic Regions
Quick Info
- •Smithsonian ID: 222166
- •Evidence: Eruption Dated
- •Epoch: Holocene
About the Photo
The summit of Rungwe is seen from WNW with the scarp resulting from edifice collapse in the background. At the left-center is a cone breached by a lava flow towards the S to SW (right). Rungwe volcano is the largest in the Karonga basin NW of Lake Malawi (Lake Nyasa) and is capped by a 4-km-wide caldera that is breached to the west. The caldera is largely filled by a series of youthful-looking uneroded and sparsely vegetated pumice cones, lava domes, and explosion craters.
Photo by Karen Fontijn, 2008 (University of Ghent).
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.