Geology for Global Development

Guatemala

Images of Guatemala (1) – Volcan de Fuego

Volcan de Fuego, Guatemala. Taken from the adjacent peak of Acatenango, this photograph captures ones of the many small eruptions of the volcano named Fuego (the Spanish word for fire!). Fuego, formed by the subduction of the Cocos plate beneath the Caribbean plate, is an active basaltic stratovolcano. You can read more about Fuego and its eruptive history online here. (Credit: Geology for Global ...[Read More]

Friday Photo (122) – Landslide Prone Slopes in Guatemala City

Development of Housing on Landslide Prone Slopes in Guatemala City. These slopes are regularly impacted by mass movement events, during the rainy season. Planning enforcement and monitoring is also reported to be impacted by ‘no-go’ zones for police in this part of the city. Credit: Joel Gill, 2014

Friday Photo (120) – Pacaya Lava Flows

Basaltic Lava Flows From the Eruption of Pacaya, Guatemala, in 2010 (Credit: Joel Gill, 2014) (This image, and others taken in Guatemala, is available for free use (subject to terms and conditions) from the EGU Image Repository)

Field Research in Guatemala (5) – Photo Diary

After 2 months based in Guatemala undertaking hazards research, I am soon to return home. I will be continuing this series of posts over the next few months, reflecting on aspects of conducting research overseas and thinking through results. Guatemala is a stunningly beautiful country, with a dynamism reflected in everything from the landscapes to the markets. Everybody I have met has been incredi ...[Read More]

Friday Photo (119) – Pacaya Lava Store, Guatemala

Lava Store, Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala An entrepreneurial Guatemalan sets up a lava store next to Pacaya (my understanding is that they sold products made from the lava, not just pieces of it – which are in abundance in the area!). This store was destroyed by the 2nd March 2014 lava flow. (Credit: Joel Gill, February 2014)

Field Research in Guatemala (4) – Reflections from Fuego

  Joel Gill (GfGD Founding Director) continues his live reporting from Guatemala, discussing his interdisciplinary field research relating to natural hazard interactions and disaster risk reduction. This fieldwork forms part of a NERC/ESRC funded PhD, supervised by staff in the Department of Geography at King’s College London. Over the past few weeks I’ve had the opportunity to see some remar ...[Read More]

Friday Photo (117) – Volcan Agua, Guatemala

Volcan Agua, Guatemala Taken from the side of the Acatenango, another volcano, this image shows the stratovolcano Agua towering over the landscape. Agua was the location of a catastrophic debris flow/lahar in the mid 16th Century, destroying the then capital city of Guatemala. (Credit: Joel Gill, 2014) (This image, and others taken in Guatemala, is available for free use (subject to terms and cond ...[Read More]