Impact Assessment of the May 2010 Eruption of Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala, GNS Science Report 2012/09

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE Wardman, J.; Sword-Daniels, V.; Stewart, C. and Wilson, T. 2012. Impact assessment of the May 2010 eruption of Pacaya volcano, Guatemala, GNS Science Report 2012/09. 90 p. Johnny Wardman, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand Victoria Sword-Daniels, Epicentre, Civil Environmental and Geomatic Engineering Department, University College London, Gower Street, London, United Kingdom Carol Stewart, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand Thomas Wilson, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand © Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Limited, 2012 ISSN 1177-2425 ISBN 978-0-478-19889-8 i 2012 CONTENTS ABSTRACT ...........................................................................................................................VIII KEYWORDS ........................................................................................................................... IX 1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Personnel .......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Aims of study .................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Research methodologies .................................................................................. 2 1.4 Characteristics of study areas .......................................................................... 3 1.4.1 National overview .................................................................................. 3 1.4.2 Guatemala City ...................................................................................... 4 1.4.3 Settlements around Pacaya volcano ..................................................... 5 2.0 VOLCANIC HAZARDS IN GUATEMALA .................................................................... 7 2.1 Overview of volcanic hazards in Guatemala ..................................................... 7 2.2 Pacaya volcano: eruption history and volcanic hazards ................................... 9 2.3 Chronology of May 2010 eruption of Pacaya volcano .................................... 14 2.3.1 27 May 2010 eruption .......................................................................... 14 2.3.1.1 Tephra dispersion ......................................................................... 14 2.3.1.2 Ballistic clasts ................................................................................ 18 2.3.2 Activity from 28 May onwards .............................................................. 18 2.4 Tropical storm Agatha ..................................................................................... 21 3.0 INFRASTRUCTURE IMPACTS AND RESPONSES TO RECENT TEPHRA FALL . 23 3.1 Electricity supply ............................................................................................. 23 3.1.1 Organisational structure of the electrical network in Guatemala ......... 23 3.1.2 Generation sites: impacts on Amatitlán geothermal plant ................... 24 3.1.3 Transmission and distribution equipment ............................................ 26 3.1.4 Substations .......................................................................................... 27 3.1.5 Summary ............................................................................................. 28 3.2 Water supplies ................................................................................................ 29 3.2.1 Overview .............................................................................................. 29 3.2.2 Guatemala City .................................................................................... 30 3.2.2.1 Problems caused by the eruption ................................................. 30 3.2.3 Impacts in San Francisco de Sales ..................................................... 31 3.3 Wastewater systems ....................................................................................... 31 3.3.1 Overview of wastewater disposal in Guatemala City ........................... 32 3.3.2 Wastewater treatment systems in Guatemala City .............................. 32 3.3.3 Impacts of the eruption ........................................................................ 33 3.3.4 Lessons learned .................................................................................. 35 3.4 Healthcare systems and services ................................................................... 35 3.4.1 Background on healthcare system in Guatemala ................................ 35 3.4.2 Healthcare response to eruption ......................................................... 36 3.4.3 Impacts of the eruption on public health .............................................. 37 3.4.3.1 Ministry of Public Health experience ............................................. 37 3.4.3.2 Public hospital experience ............................................................ 37 GNS Science Report 2012/09 ii 2012 3.4.3.3 Experiences of the public .............................................................. 40 3.4.4 Buildings, equipment and infrastructure .............................................. 40 3.4.5 Cleanup operations ............................................................................. 41 3.4.6 Financing issues .................................................................................. 42 3.4.7 Summary ............................................................................................. 43 3.5 Transport networks and the municipal cleanup .............................................. 44 3.5.1 Disposal and possible re-use of tephra ............................................... 44 3.5.2 Impacts on roads and the municipal cleanup ...................................... 44 3.5.3 Impacts on El Cedro-San Francisco de Sales road ............................. 48 3.5.4 Impacts on La Aurora International Airport .......................................... 49 3.6 Telecommunications ....................................................................................... 51 4.0 IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL COMMUNITIES ................................. 52 4.1 Background ..................................................................................................... 52 4.2 Impacts on crops ............................................................................................ 52 4.3 Impacts on livestock ....................................................................................... 53 4.4 Impacts of the eruption on settlements ........................................................... 54 4.5 Other impacts on rural infrastructure .............................................................. 56 5.0 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN GUATEMALA ..................................................... 57 5.1 Volcano monitoring ......................................................................................... 57 5.2 Emergency management structure ................................................................. 57 5.3 Emergency management practice .................................................................. 58 5.3.1 Emergency management response to the eruption ............................. 58 5.3.2 Lessons learned .................................................................................. 61 5.4 Public response to volcanic unrest ................................................................. 61 6.0 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................. 62 6.1 Impacts of two natural disasters occurring at once ......................................... 62 6.1.1 Proximal areas ..................................................................................... 62 6.1.2 Electricity networks .............................................................................. 62 6.1.3 Healthcare services ............................................................................. 63 6.1.4 Water supplies ..................................................................................... 63 6.1.5 Wastewater .......................................................................................... 63 6.1.6 Transport networks .............................................................................. 63 6.2 Lessons for New Zealand ............................................................................... 64 6.2.1 Relevance of 27 May 2010 Pacaya eruption to predicted activity of Auckland Volcanic Field ...................................................................... 64 6.2.2 Planning for multiple hazards .............................................................. 64 6.2.3 Ballistic fallout ...................................................................................... 64 6.2.4 Tephra impacts on infrastructure ......................................................... 65 7.0 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................. 67 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................... 71 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................

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