Overall Green alert Volcanic eruption for Fuego
in Guatemala

Event summary

GREEN alert: The Fuego Volcanic eruption is unlikely to require external humanitarian assistance based on the exposed population and coping capacity.

GDACS ID VO 1000038
Name: Fuego
Lat/Lon: 14.473 , -90.88
Event Date: 10 Mar 2022 UTC
Exposed Population 30km: About 1230000 people within 30km
Exposed Population 100km: About 8730000 people within 100km
Max Volc. Explosivity Index VEI: 4
Population Exposure Index PEI: 5
Inserted at: 10 Mar 2022 06:48 UTC

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Guatemala - Volcanic eruption (ECHO 10 Mar 2022)Thu, 10 Mar 2022 11:55

  • Since 6 March, Volcán de Fuego located on the borders of Chimaltenango, Escuintla and Sacatepéquez Departments (central-western Guatemala), is erupting. Several explosions have been recorded and pyroclastic flows covered an area of 7 km away from the crater, specifically on the southwest, south and southeast flanks. Moreover, a huge amount of ashfall has been registered across the communities surrounding the volcano.
  • According to the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), 522 people living in the communities close to the volcano have been evacuated in five evacuation centres located in Escuintla Department.
  • CONRED is constantly monitoring the situation and recommended people nearby the volcano to follow the local response plan (including the evacuation routes and the meeting points) in case of emergency.
Detailed event map. European Union, 2024. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

The Smithsonian/USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report provides information about global volcanism on a weekly basis. Latest Fuego report has been published on 09 Mar 2022 07:30.
In a series of special bulletins, INSIVUMEH summarized increased activity at Fuego during 6-8 March that culminated in multiple pyroclastic flows and evacuations. A new period of effusion had begun on 5 March, resulting in a 300-m-long lava flow in the Ceniza drainage on the SSW flank. Explosions were weak to moderate in intensity, incandescent pulses were visible, and avalanches descended the Ceniza valley. Staff at the Observatorio Vulcanol?gico del Volc?n de Fuego (OVFGO) in Panimach? I (8 km SW) noted that Strombolian activity intensified at around 1800 on 6 March. Incandescent material was ejected 200 m high and ash plumes rose along avalanches that traveled down the Ceniza and Trinidad (S) drainages. Rumbling sounds became more intense and frequent. By around 0930 on 7 March lava flows were 400 and 200 m long in the Ceniza and Santa Teresa (W) ravines, respectively. Incandescent material was ejected 100-200 m high and avalanches descended the Ceniza, Trinidad, and Santa Teresa. By the afternoon activity again significantly increased based on both seismic and acoustic data as well as reports from observers at OVFGO and Observatorio Vulcanol?gico del Volc?n de Agua (OVAGU). RSAM values increased just after 1200, peaking at a value just under 8,000, and notable pyroclastic flows were observed from OVFGO descending the Ceniza drainage at 1300. According to CONRED about 370 people were evacuated from Panimach? I and San Pedro Yepocapa (8 km NW). During the next hour larger, and more significant and frequent pyroclastic flows descended the Ceniza, sometimes spilling over the banks of the drainage. Ash fell in San Pedro Yepocapa and in other areas downwind. RSAM values decreased around 1400 but remained high. Pyroclastic flows continued to descend the drainage into the evening, and rumbling sounds, weak to moderate in intensity, were constantly audible. Weather clouds prevented clear views of the upper flanks. Ashfall was reported in Panimach? I and II, Morelia (9 km SW), Santa Sof?a (12 km SW), Yucales, El Porvenir 8 km ENE), and Sangr? de Cristo (8 km WSW). Between 1900-2200 RSAM values significantly increased and reached a peak value of around 14,000. Weather clouds cleared allowing for observations of the summit and upper flanks; pyroclastic flows continued to descend the Ceniza and avalanches and possible smaller pyroclastic flows traveled towards the Las Lajas drainage on the SE flank. A sulfur odor was reported in areas near the volcano and ash plumes drifted as far as 100 km NW and 40 km W and SW. Activity progressively declined during the morning of 8 March, with decreased effusion and eruption sounds; RSAM values declined by 0300 and remained low though 0735. Sources: Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducci?n de Desastres (CONRED),Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia, e Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH)
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Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (32), (2), INGV (2), DesInventar (1), WMO (1), INFORM (2),