Overall Green alert Volcanic eruption for Pacaya
in Guatemala

Event summary

Volcanic eruption Pacaya is expected to have a low humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Name: Pacaya
Lat/Lon: 14.382 , -90.601
Event Date: 23 Apr 2021 00:00 UTC
Exposed Population 30km: About 2760000 people within 30km
Exposed Population 100km: About 7860000 people within 100km
Max Volc. Explosivity Index VEI: 3
Population exposure index: 6
Inserted at: 23 Apr 2021 06:55 UTC

GDACS Score

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Historical Timeline


Volcano Timeline

IDGDACS alert colorDateEruption DetailsSource
1 04 Mar 2021 00:00 Volcanic ash emission has disp. WASHINGTON
2 17 Mar 2021 00:00 Volcanic ash emission disp. WASHINGTON
3 25 Mar 2021 00:00 Prev volcanic ash emission disp. WASHINGTON
4 01 Apr 2021 00:00 Continuous volcanic ash ems,. WASHINGTON
5 23 Apr 2021 00:00 JRC

Exposed population

The eruption happened in Guatemala , Department of Escuintla (population 573,063) . The nearest places are Bejucal, Las Pozas, Los Jazmines, Pozitos, Santa Elena Barillas, San Rafael, Amatitlán, La Periquera, El Pescador, Guanagazapa, and Jalpatagua.

Radius Population
100 km 7.9 million people
75 km 5.8 million people
50 km 4.6 million people
30 km 2.8 million people
20 km 1.1 million people
10 km 68000 people
5 km 5200 people
2 km <1000 people

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.

Affected Provinces

Region Province Country Population
Escuintla Guatemala 570000 people
Guatemala Guatemala 2.2 million people
Sacatepequez Guatemala 210000 people
Santa Rosa Guatemala 330000 people

Affected populated places

Name Region Province Country City class Population Distance
Bejucal Guatemala Guatemala Village - 4 km
Las Pozas Guatemala Guatemala Village - 5 km
Los Jazmines Escuintla Guatemala Village - 5 km
Pozitos Escuintla Guatemala Village - 6 km
Santa Elena Barillas Guatemala Guatemala Village - 7 km
San Rafael Guatemala Guatemala Village - 11 km
Amatitlán Guatemala Guatemala City 48000 people 11 km
La Periquera Escuintla Guatemala Village - 14 km
El Pescador Guatemala Guatemala Village - 16 km
Guanagazapa Escuintla Guatemala Village 2800 people 17 km
Los Verdes Guatemala Guatemala Village - 17 km
Rustrián Guatemala Guatemala Village - 17 km
Ramírez Guatemala Guatemala Village - 19 km
Fraijanes Guatemala Guatemala Village 28000 people 20 km
La Embaulada Sacatepequez Guatemala Village - 21 km
Escuintla Escuintla Guatemala City 100000 people 22 km
Cuje Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 22 km
Santa Catarina Pinula Guatemala Guatemala Village 68000 people 23 km
Ciudad Vieja Sacatepéquez Guatemala Village 30000 people 23 km
Antigua Sacatepéquez Guatemala Major city 21000 people 24 km
Alotenango Sacatepéquez Guatemala Village 17000 people 25 km
El Colorado Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 26 km
Brito Escuintla Guatemala Village - 27 km
Ciénaga Grande Guatemala Guatemala Village - 27 km
Mixco Guatemala Guatemala City 470000 people 28 km
Guatemala Guatemala Guatemala Capital 1.7 million people 28 km
Los Lotes Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 28 km
El Reventón Escuintla Guatemala Village - 28 km
El Manzanillo Sacatepéquez Guatemala Village - 29 km
Amberes Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 29 km
El Zapote Escuintla Guatemala Village - 29 km
Tecuamburro Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 30 km
El Rinconcito Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 30 km
El Durazno Guatemala Guatemala Village - 31 km
El Jobo Escuintla Guatemala Village - 31 km
Concepción Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 32 km
La Aurora Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 32 km
Masagua Escuintla Guatemala Village 9900 people 33 km
Parramos Chimaltenango Guatemala Village 9500 people 33 km
Contreras Guatemala Guatemala Village - 34 km
Cuilapa Santa Rosa Guatemala City 16000 people 34 km
Rodriguitos Guatemala Guatemala Village - 35 km
La Soledad Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 35 km
Tejar Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 36 km
Estanzuela Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 36 km
El Zapote Guatemala Guatemala Village - 36 km
Sacoj Guatemala Guatemala Village - 36 km
La Morenita Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 36 km
Santa Marta Sacatepequez Guatemala Village - 36 km
Sajcavillá Guatemala Guatemala Village - 37 km
Jumaytepeque Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 37 km
Taxisco Santa Rosa Guatemala Village 6400 people 38 km
San Miguel Aroche Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 38 km
Casillas Santa Rosa Guatemala Village 8900 people 39 km
Chimaltenango Chimaltenango Guatemala City 82000 people 39 km
Guazacapán Santa Rosa Guatemala City - 40 km
Yepocapa Chimaltenango Guatemala Village 8900 people 40 km
Siquinalá Escuintla Guatemala Village - 40 km
Finca Sangre de Cristo Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 40 km
Agua Tibia Guatemala Guatemala Village - 40 km
El Manzanote Guatemala Guatemala Village - 40 km
Labor Vieja Guatemala Guatemala Village - 40 km
La Democracia Escuintla Guatemala Village - 41 km
La Sierra Jalapa Guatemala Village - 41 km
Santa María Ixhuatán Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 41 km
Chato Guatemala Guatemala Village - 41 km
Acatenango Chimaltenango Guatemala Village 7000 people 42 km
San Jacinto Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 42 km
San Raimundo Guatemala Guatemala Village - 42 km
Corralitos Escuintla Guatemala Village - 42 km
San Juan Tapalapa Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 43 km
El Sitán Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 43 km
San Antonio Las Trojes Guatemala Guatemala Village - 43 km
El Panal Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 43 km
El Ojo de Agua Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 43 km
San Martineros Guatemala Guatemala Village - 43 km
El Maneadero Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 44 km
Guacamayas Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 44 km
El Castaño Escuintla Guatemala Village - 44 km
Nimayá Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 45 km
Rincón Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 45 km
Obero Escuintla Guatemala City - 45 km
Ceiba Amelia Escuintla Guatemala Village - 45 km
Las Mesas Jalapa Guatemala Village - 45 km
Santa Lucia Cotz Escuintla Guatemala Village - 46 km
Los Altarcitos Guatemala Guatemala Village - 46 km
San Rafael Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 47 km
Mataquescuintla Jalapa Guatemala Village 7500 people 47 km
El Jobito Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 47 km
Los Achiotes Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 48 km
Yerbabuena Guatemala Guatemala Village - 48 km
Suacité Guatemala Guatemala Village - 48 km
Ajbalché Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 48 km
Sacalá Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 48 km
El Pilar Escuintla Guatemala Village - 49 km
San José Acatempa Santa Rosa Guatemala Village - 49 km
Buena Vista Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 49 km
Cojobal Chimaltenango Guatemala Village - 49 km
Chibatutuy Guatemala Guatemala Village - 49 km
Comalapa Chimaltenango Guatemala City 21000 people 50 km

see full list

Critical infrastructure

Airports, ports, nuclear plants and hydrodams at risk, if affected, are listed below.

Airports

Name IATA Code Elevation (m) Usage Runway type IFR Runway Length (ft) Distance
La Aurora GUA 1509 Civ. Paved Yes 9800 24 km
El Naranjo ENJ unknown 0 40 km
San Jose 9 Civ. Paved No 6500 56 km

Ports

Name LOCODE Country Distance
Puerto Quetzail GTPRQ Guatemala 55 km
San Jose GTSJO Guatemala 57 km
San Jose GTSJO Guatemala 57 km

Dams

Nuclear plants

Tsunami impact

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Tsunami affected locations


Initial conditions

More information

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