Santiaguito volcano (Guatemala): lahars in progress, block lavas continue to tumble down to base of edifice

Block lava from the lava dome at Santiaguito volcano (image: @DavidRojasGt/twitter)

Block lava from the lava dome at Santiaguito volcano (image: @DavidRojasGt/twitter)

The local observatory INSIVUMEH reported that lahars (mud flows) occurred as heavy rainfalls remobilise the fresh ash deposits. Lahars descended in the south-southwest direction of San Isidro river and Tambor creek.
Such flows can pick up water and debris flow (water-saturated particles) along the way.
The high extrusive activity of the volcano continues at the west-southwest part of the dome, this continues to culminate in frequent moderate glowing block lavas traveling mostly over the west-southwest slopes. Incandescence in the lava dome is associated with this process.

The near-frequent and abundant degassing continues to produce steam-laden plumes which rose approx. 500 meters above the crater.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología volcano activity update 9 February 2022