Izalco (volcano)

Infobox Mountain
Name = Izalco
Photo =Izzyd.jpg
Caption =
Elevation = 1,950 metres (6,398 feet)
Location = El Salvador
Range = Cordillera de Apaneca
Prominence =
Coordinates = coord|13.813|N|89.633|W|type:mountain
Topographic

Type = Stratovolcano
Age =
Last eruption= 1966
First ascent =
Easiest route=

Izalco is a parasitic stratovolcano [cite book | last = Carr | first = M. J. | authorlink = | coauthors = Pontier, N. K. | title = Evolution of a young parasitic cone towards a mature central vent; Izalco and Santa Ana volcanoes in El Salvador, Central America. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. | publisher = | date = 1981 | location = | pages = 277-292 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = ] of the Santa Ana Volcano, which is located in western El Salvador. It is situated on the southern flank of the Santa Ana volcano. Izalco erupted almost continuously from 1770 (when it formed) to 1958 [cite book | last = Mooser | first = F. | authorlink = | coauthors = Meyer-Abich, H. and McBirney, A. R. | title = Catalogue of the Active Volcanoes of the World, VI. International Volcanological Association, Naples | publisher = | date = 1958 | location = | pages = 146 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = ] earning it the nickname of "Lighthouse of the Pacific", and experienced a flank eruption in 1966. [cite book | last = Rose | first = W. I. Jr. | authorlink = | coauthors = Stoiber, R. E. | title = The 1966 eruption of Izalco volcano, El Salvador. J. Geophys. Res., 74 | publisher = | date = 1969 | location = | pages = 3119-3130 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = ] During an eruption in 1926, the village of Matazano was buried and 56 people were killed. The formation of the volcano actually occupied highly arable land on the southern slope of the Santa Ana volcano which was used for the production of coffee, cacao and sugar cane [cite book | last = Sheets P. D. | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Apocalypse then: social science approaches to volcanism, people, and cultures in the Zapotitan Valley, El Salvador. Rose W. I., Bommer J. J., Lopez D. L., Carr M. J., Major J. J. (eds), Natural Hazards in El Salvador. Bolder, Colorado, Geological Society of America Special Paper 375 | publisher = | date = 2004 | location = | pages = 109-120 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = ]

A hotel was built on the nearby Cerro Verde to provide accommodation with a view of the erupting volcano, but the volcano ceased to erupt shortly before the hotel was completed.

Today, Izalco experiences only fumarolic activity in the form of rainwater seeping into the volcano and contacting hot rocks, rather than steam emissions from underground gases.The volcano is visited and climbed regularly by tourists to El Salvador via the Cerro Verde National Park and is a national icon of the country, even featured on the 10 colònes bank note (US dollars replaced the colon in 2001, so the bank note is no longer in circulation). The volcano is currently inactive but may erupt again.

ee also

*List of volcanoes in El Salvador
*List of stratovolcanoes

References

* [http://www.volcano.si.edu/world/volcano.cfm?vnum=1403-03= Global Volcanism Program]