Ahuachapán and Its Restive Neighbors
The region around Ahuachapán in western El Salvador features active and dormant volcanoes, geothermal activity, and a long-operating geothermal power plant. Volcanoes such as Santa Ana and Izalco have shaped the landscape through historical eruptions, with Santa Ana remaining active and Izalco earning the nickname "Lighthouse of the Pacific" due to its frequent glowing eruptions. Geothermal energy from the area has contributed significantly to El Salvador's electricity supply since the 1970s, despite occasional hazardous steam explosions.
- ▪The Ahuachapán Geothermal Power Plant has operated since 1975 and once produced 40 percent of El Salvador’s electricity.
- ▪Santa Ana volcano, at 2,381 meters, is El Salvador’s tallest and remains active, with its last significant eruption occurring in 2005.
- ▪Izalco volcano, known as the "Lighthouse of the Pacific," had its most recent eruption in 1966 after nearly two centuries of frequent activity.
- ▪The Apaneca Range shows no Holocene eruptions but exhibits ongoing geothermal activity such as fumaroles and hot springs.
- ▪A 2025 steam eruption near a hot springs facility led to evacuations and infrastructure damage.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Earth ObservatoryScienceEarth ObservatoryAhuachapán and Its Restive...EarthEarth ObservatoryImage of the DayEO ExplorerTopicsAll TopicsAtmosphereLandHeat & RadiationLife on EarthHuman DimensionsNatural EventsOceansRemote Sensing TechnologySnow & IceWaterMore ContentCollectionsGlobal MapsWorld of ChangeArticlesNotes from the Field BlogEarth Matters BlogBlue Marble: Next GenerationEO KidsMission: BiomesAboutAbout UsSubscribe🛜 RSSContact UsSearch 3 min readAhuachapán and Its Restive NeighborsImage of the Day for May 5, 2026From a geothermal hotspot to the one-time “Lighthouse of the Pacific,” the heat is on beneath the volcanic landscape of western El Salvador.NASA Earth ObservatoryMay 05, 2026 Article View more Images of the Day:May 4, 2026Instruments:Landsat 8 — OLITopics:Human…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NASA.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from NASA
