Mount Cagua
Also known as: Cagua Volcano · Mount Cagua
Definition
Mount Cagua, also known as Cagua Volcano, is an active stratovolcano in the municipality of Santa Teresita in Cagayan province, northeastern Luzon, Philippines. Rising to about 1,133 meters, it is one of the northernmost active volcanoes on the Luzon mainland, with a summit crater marked by fumaroles and thermal springs on its flanks. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology lists it among the country’s active volcanoes, with its last known eruption recorded in the nineteenth century. (Wikipedia)
Identities
| Source Type | Identity |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Cagua Volcano |
| Wikidata | Q1025749 |
| DBpedia | N/A |
| ProductOntology | N/A |
| Wiktionary | N/A |
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) | N/A |
| MeSH | N/A |
| NCBI Taxonomy | N/A |
| AGROVOC | volcanoes |
| Google Scholar | Mount Cagua Cagua volcano Cagayan Philippines volcanism Babuyan arc |
| ConceptNet | volcano |
| OpenCyc | N/A |
Also Known As
- Cagua Volcano
- Mount Cagua
Examples and Analogies
- Fumarolic Crater: Steam vents at the summit testify to magma below, like a kettle simmering long after it has stopped boiling over.
- Babuyan Arc Neighbor: Cagua belongs to the same chain of Quaternary volcanoes as the Babuyan islands of Camiguin, Babuyan Claro, and Smith to the north.
- Thermal Springs: Hot springs at the volcano’s foot show geothermal heat reachable near the surface.
Usage Scenarios
1. Volcanic Monitoring
PHIVOLCS includes Cagua in hazard mapping for northeastern Luzon despite its long quiet.
2. Geothermal and Scientific Study
Researchers sample its thermal areas to assess the volcanic arc’s geothermal potential.
Strategies
- Keep baseline monitoring on fumarole temperatures and seismicity to catch signs of reawakening.
- Fold the volcano into local disaster risk reduction planning for Santa Teresita and neighboring towns.
- Protect remaining forest cover on the slopes to reduce lahar and erosion exposure.
Security and Safety Measures
- Climbers should avoid summit fumaroles, where volcanic gases can accumulate to dangerous levels.
- Phreatic explosions can occur with little warning on volcanoes with active hydrothermal systems, so visitors follow local guidance and posted advisories.
Historical Context
Historical accounts report unrest at Cagua in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, with an eruption in 1853 often cited as its last confirmed activity. Since then the volcano has remained quiet, its crater vents and hot springs sustaining interest among volcanologists studying the Luzon volcanic arc, while its forested slopes have stayed sparsely settled. (Wikipedia)
Challenges and Controversies
Data Gaps
Because of its remoteness and long dormancy, Cagua is among the less-studied Philippine volcanoes, complicating hazard assessment.
Development Pressure
Geothermal interest and quarrying activities near volcanic slopes periodically raise concerns about protecting the edifice and its watershed.
Related Topic
Babuyan Islands