Machin

Stratovolcano in Colombia

Last Eruption: 1180

Key Facts

Elevation

2,749 m (9,019 ft)

Type

Stratovolcano

Location

4.487°, -75.389°

Region

Northern Andean Volcanic Arc

Rock Type

Dacite

Tectonic Setting

Subduction zone

Location

Loading map...

Overview

The small Cerro Machín stratovolcano lies at the southern end of the Ruiz-Tolima massif about 20 km WNW of the city of Ibagué. A 3-km-wide caldera is breached to the south and contains three forested dacitic lava domes. Voluminous pyroclastic flows traveled up to 40 km away during eruptions in the mid-to-late Holocene, perhaps associated with formation of the caldera.

Late-Holocene eruptions produced dacitic block-and-ash flows that traveled through the breach in the caldera rim to the west and south. The latest known eruption of took place about 800 years ago.

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

Dacite

Silica Content

Varied composition

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	846 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: 351040
•Evidence: Eruption Dated
•Epoch: Holocene

About the Photo

Two central lava domes of Cerro Machín volcano are seen here from the SW. A 3-km-wide caldera, whose rim is the horizontal change in slope across the center of the photo, opens towards the south. Late-Holocene eruptions produced block-and-ash flows that traveled to the west and south, beyond the caldera. Deposits from some of these eruptions form the eroded slopes in the lower part of the photo along the valley of the Toche River.

Photo by José Macías, 1996 (Universidad Autómona de México).