stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a typically conical volcano built up by many alternating layers (strata) of hardened lava and tephra. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile with ...
located in the southern
Andes
The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...
, in the
Los Lagos Region
Los Lagos Region ( , 'Region of the Lakes') is one of regions of Chile, Chile's 16 regions, which are first order administrative divisions, and comprises four provinces: Chiloé Province, Chiloé, Llanquihue Province, Llanquihue, Osorno Provin ...
of
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, south of the
Reloncaví Estuary
Reloncaví Estuary (Spanish: Estuario de Reloncaví, archaic: Sin Fondo) is a fjord off Reloncaví Sound, located in the Los Lagos Region of Chile. Several National Parks and Wilderness Areas are situated in the vicinity of this fjord. Among th ...
. Yate lies on the major regional Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone, and is located 10 km north-east of the smaller Hornopiren volcano. The last known eruption occurred in 1090 CE. There are no historical records of recent volcanic activity, but there is strategic evidence of smaller eruptions sometime in the Holocene. The volcano is named after Juan Yates, also known as John Yates, a settler of Puerto Americano who played a significant role in the exploration and colonisation of
Patagonia
Patagonia () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...
.
1965 Landslide and Tsunami
On February 19, 1965 a non-eruptive landslide of ice and rock caused by unusually heavy summer rains slid rapidly into a narrow gully, descended around 1500 meters in elevation, and crashed into Lake Cabrera below. This triggered a tsunami that thundered across the lake and swept through the lakeside community of Lago Cabrera just moments later. There was virtually no warning and the community was caught by surprise. The entire village was destroyed, killing twenty-seven people. It is considered the worst volcano-related loss of life in Chile since the Villarrica eruptions of 1948–1949. The debris field left behind by the tsunami is still visible today, and the people of nearby
Hornopirén
Hornopirén is a town in the commune of Hualaihué in Palena Province, Zona Austral, southern Chile. It lies along the northern portion of Carretera Austral. It had 3,629 inhabitants as of 2017.
Hornopirén is an important tourist stop on Chile’s ...
commemorate the tragedy every year with a pilgrimage to the site and the memorial chapel.
Future Dangers
With a warming climate, increased rain and increasing glacial meltwater may accelerate edifice collapse. This has potential implications for more landslide hazards in the area of the volcano, and tsunami risks in the lake area.