Geologic Hazards in Guatemala             

This page investigates geologic hazards in Guatemala with an emphasis on volcanic hazards.   Volcanism in Guatemala is the result of the subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate.  Abundant volcanic activity, ever-increasing population density, and periods of heavy rainfall combine to create a region greatly affected by geologic hazards.

Scientists have intensely studied volcanic hazards during the past three decades.  This has lead to fair understanding of how many volcanic hazards behave and to the development of hazard maps and other tools to assist in hazard mitigation.  However, communication with people that live with volcanic hazards has not kept pace with the science, nor has the
assessment of widely used hazard mitigation tools (i.e. hazard maps).  A hazard map of a volcano produced by a scientist may be very informational to another volcanologist, but may mean very little to the person who actually lives on the flanks of the volcano.  I am interested in closing this communication gap, or at least investigating ways in which this gap can be made smaller.

Rio Samala channel filled with volcanic debris. Santiaguito Volcano in the background. (photo by Bill Rose)

Other Links:
USGS Hazards Team http://geohazards.cr.usgs.gov/
Federal Emergency Management Agency http://www.fema.gov/
American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/index.html