Wonchi caldera

Ethiopia / Oromia / Hagere Hiywet /
Wonchi is a 3.0 by 2.5 mile (4.8 by 4.0 km) wide caldera.
Wonchi contains a single crater lake about 1476 feet (450 meters) below the rim of the volcano.
Passage into the caldera floor is via a narrow gash worn through the caldera rim by a small stream. It is possible that Wonchi was active as recently as A.D. 550. Flooding of the lake at that time may have been due to an underwater eruption that raised the lake level, killing many trees on the previous shore. Wonchi's caldera is as much as 2952 ft (900 meters) deep, and lake itself could be as deep as 1312 ft (400 meters).
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   8°47'12"N   37°53'39"E

Comments

  • I was there several times, starting from Addis to Wolisso and then to Wenchi, Ambo and Addis again. I know many people in the area and I was happy to bring them water, dressing and food during my visit.
This article was last modified 8 years ago