The first historical eruption happened in 1534, followed by two devastating eruptions that destroyed Latacunga city in 1742 and 1744, where the entire town was torn down. Then, in 1768, an eruption was followed by explosions that were heard all the way to Guayaquil. And after some other smaller eruptions, the volcano was quiet for 23 years.
Another significant eruption happened in 1877, which was known for its lahars (volcanic mudflows) that travelled more than 60 miles (100 km) far from the volcano (towards the Pacific Ocean at the west and towards the Amazon River at the east), and again Latacunga city was destroyed.
After other minor eruptions dated from 1903 to 1904, the Cotopaxi Volcano was quite silent until 2015, when explosions occurred inside the volcano, and the ash floated more than five kilometres high in the air.
Suddenly, since 2022 October 21st, the Cotopaxi Volcano has been registering a new eruptive process. Out of this time, the volcanologists have registered hundreds of fumaroles on the inner flanks, considerable ash emissions, and thousands of tremors.
Due to the increase of internal and external activity in Cotopaxi, the Ecuadorian government has declared a “Yellow Warning”, which means all citizens should be prepared for a volcanic eruption, identifying the safe areas, evacuation routes and meeting points nearby them.
Nobody knows when Cotopaxi will explode again; all we know is that if the volcano erupts again, it will cause a massive disaster, harming the lives of more than 700,000 people. It could be a month from now; it could be in a decade or even longer.
It’s important to remark that the terrain around the mountain’s base has many times been buried in pumice and ash blown out of the crater. The mountain itself is built up of alternating layers of dark-coloured lava and falls of lighter-coloured ash. So, although the situation of the volcano may appear alarming, it is also a part of its natural cycle and history.
Cotopaxi volcano is one of the must-see attractions in Ecuador if you are visiting the country.
It is open for everyone who wants to visit it, obviously who needs to be cautious and follow all the recommendations and restrictions set by the Ecuadorian authorities in terms of having a wonderful and safe visit.