Santa Maria, Guatemala
From series “The Most Active Volcanoes in the World”Height: 3 770 meters.
The active stratovolcano of Santa Maria is situated to the west of Guatemala, in the immediate vicinity to the city of Quetzaltenango. It’s about 3,770 meters high. According to scientists, the first eruption of Santa Maria volcano occurred about 30,000 years ago. First recorded eruption has been a little over a hundred years ago, in 1902; it has claimed the lives of six thousand people.
The eruption has been so strong that residents of Costa Rica have heard the preceding explosion at a distance of 800 kilometers. Height of the ash stem has been about 28 kilometers; the eruption has thrown out at least 5.5 cubic kilometers of lava. This eruption was one of the most powerful and tragic in the 20th century. In 1922, a new Santiaguito mouth has formed that can be found an altitude of about 2,500 meters.
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Santa Maria - interactive map
Nearest unique sightseeing spots to visit
0 km - Santa Maria Volcano
Early 18th century was also marked by a strong volcanic eruption. That year the disaster occurred in Guatemala. In 1902, the eruption of Santa Maria volcano happened there. It is considered one of the most violent eruptions of the 20th century. The incredibly powerful …
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