As of 6 July, harmonic tremor, occasional explosions, and long-period and volcano-tectonic earthquakes continued at Reventador. Strong Strombolian fountaining was observed during the evening and one of the lobes of a lava flow (Lava number 5) was advancing down the caldera wall following the Río Marker. The flow abruptly slowed to ~20 m/day in comparison to flow-front velocities of ~70 m/day during 19-23 June, and ~50 m/day during 23-30 June. Lava number 5 was ~1.2 km from a steep incline, where it could begin to rapidly descend to the alluvial fan where the highway and petroleum pipeline are located.

Based on information from IG, the Washington VAAC reported that an ash plume extended N of the volcano's summit on 11 July. No ash was visible on satellite imagery.

Geological Summary. Volcán El Reventador is the most frequently active of a chain of Ecuadorian volcanoes in the Cordillera Real, well east of the principal volcanic axis. The forested, dominantly andesitic stratovolcano has 4-km-wide avalanche scarp open to the E formed by edifice collapse. A young, unvegetated, cone rises from the amphitheater floor about 1,300 m to a height comparable to the rim. It has been the source of numerous lava flows as well as explosive eruptions visible from Quito, about 90 km ESE. Frequent lahars in this region of heavy rainfall have constructed a debris plain on the eastern floor of the scarp. The largest recorded eruption took place in 2002, producing a 17-km-high eruption column, pyroclastic flows that traveled up to 8 km, and lava flows from summit and flank vents.

Sources: Instituto Geofísico-Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG), Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)