Ashfall from Fuego and Santiaguito 17 March 2009
Posted by admin in activity reports, Fuego, Guatemala, natural hazards, Santa María.Tags: Central America, Fuego, Guatemala, natural hazards, Santa María, volcanic activity reports
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Guatemala’s Prensa Libre newspaper reported yesterday that Fuego and Santiaguito volcanoes (the Santiaguito lava dome complex is part of Santa María volcano) are producing ‘large quantities of ash’, and that the aviation and emergency authorities have been alerted. The report says that the two volcanoes were producing powerful explosions and erupting incandescent material and steam, with ashfall being reported up to 8-12km distant. In the village of Sangre de Cristo, near Fuego, drinking water and food have been contaminated by ash.
Washington VAAC has no current volcanic ash advisories for Fuego, although emissions were reported 12-13 March 2009. An ash cloud was reported from Santa María on 15 March. The Instituto de Sismología, Vulcanología y Meteorología of Guatemala (Insivumeh) has been reporting light ashfall from Fuego and light to moderate ashfall from Santiaguito.
The Santiaguito dome complex has been almost continuously active since its appearance in 1922, within the crater left by the huge eruption (VEI=6?) of Santa María in 1902.
News
Volcanes de Fuego y Santiaguito lanzan grandes cantidades de ceniza – Prensa Libre, 16 March 2009
Information
Global Volcanism Program: Fuego – summary information for Fuego (1402-09=)
Global Volcanism Program: Santa María – summary information for Santa María (1402-03=)
Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrologia – main page for Guatemala’s volcanological authority
Activity at Fuego, Guatemala 3 June 2008
Posted by admin in activity reports, Fuego, Guatemala, volcanoes.Tags: Central America, Fuego, Guatemala, volcanic activity reports, volcanoes
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On 28 May the Instito Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrologia of Guatemala (INSIVUMEH) issued a special bulletin for Fuego reporting that although no eruption was under way the constant ‘weak to moderate’ explosive activity from the volcano was producing an ash cloud of 700m altitude, which, combined with strong winds at Fuego’s 3763m summit, constituted a potential hazard to civil aviation.
The daily report for 2 June indicates that Fuego’s behaviour is changing: the explosive activity is continuing, but is now accompanied by lava fountains reaching 50-100m in height which have produced a small (100m) lava flow along the Santa Teresa ravine. There is the possibility that this erupted material may produce a blockage in the crater over the next few days. ‘Although activity is low for the moment’, notes the report, ‘it may be that this is the beginning of a possible eruption similar to that of the year 2007 in the next few days or weeks’. INSIVUMEH will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate measures.
The eruption of August 2007 at Fuego produced lava flows and ashfall, and led to local evacuations. Explosive eruptions producing a 10-15km eruption column occurred in December 2007.
Information
Global Volcanism Program: Fuego – summary information for Fuego (1402-09=)
Volcán de Fuego – detailed profile of Fuego from INSIVUMEH
Instito Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrologia – main page for Guatemala’s volcanological authority
The Volcanism Blog 