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Pacaya Volcano

Updated: Jul 16, 2025 05:38 GMT -
Complex volcano
Guatemala, 14.38°N / -90.6°W
Summit height: 2552 m (8,373 ft)
Current status: normal or dormant (1 out of 5)
Last update: 3 Aug 2024

Pacaya volcano near Guatemala City is one of Guatemala's most active volcanoes, and its frequent eruptions are often visible from Guatemala City. Typical activity in recent years includes strombolian activity, lava flow emission and intermittend violent phases of lava fountaining.

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Typical eruption style: Mildly explosive and effusive (Strombolian activity, lava fountaining, lava flows from the summit crater). Near continuously active the least during the past centuries.
Pacaya volcano eruptions: 1360, 1565, 1623(?), 1651, 1655, 1664, 1668, 1671, 1674, 1677(?), 1678, 1690, 1693, 1699, 1717(?), 1760(?), 1775, 1805, 1830(?), 1846, 1885, 1961, 1965, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980 - May 1998 (intense period of summit activity), 1999-2003, 2004-2010, 2012, 2013, 2014

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and TimeMag / DepthDistance / Location
Jul 15, 10:41 pm (GMT -6)
2.3

17 km
16 km (9.8 mi) to the N 12 km Al Norte De Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala Info
Jul 15, 09:23 pm (GMT -6)
2.4

6 km
15 km (9.1 mi) to the N 12 km Al Sureste De Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala Info
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 GMT (2 quakes)
Jul 15, 06:10 am (GMT -6)
3.2

6 km
12 km (7.7 mi) to the NW Departamento de Sacatepequez, 25 km southwest of Guatemala City, GuatemalaI FELT IT - 3 reportsInfo
Jul 15, 05:33 am (GMT -6)
2.5

1 km
6.7 km (4.2 mi) to the W Guatemala 2 reportsInfo
Monday, July 14, 2025 GMT (3 quakes)
Jul 14, 02:39 pm (GMT -6)
2.8

8 km
14 km (8.6 mi) to the NW Guatemala  I FELT IT Info
Jul 14, 04:19 am (GMT -6)
2.6

4 km
11 km (7 mi) to the NW Guatemala  I FELT IT Info
Jul 14, 06:05 am (Universal Time)
2.0

4 km
7.7 km (4.8 mi) to the NW 17 km Al Sureste De Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala Info
Tuesday, July 8, 2025 GMT (6 quakes)
Jul 8, 04:39 pm (Guatemala)
4.1

4 km
18 km (11 mi) to the NW Departamento de Sacatepequez, 29 km southwest of Guatemala City, Guatemala 7 reportsInfo
Jul 8, 03:54 pm (Guatemala)
4.8

10 km
17 km (10.4 mi) to the NW 6 km NW of Palín, Guatemala 9 reportsInfo

Background

Pacaya is a complex basaltic volcano constructed just outside the southern topographic rim of the 14 x 16 km Pleistocene Amatitlán caldera. A cluster of dacitic lava domes occupies the southern caldera floor. The post-caldera Pacaya massif includes the Cerro Grande lava dome and a younger volcano to the SW. Collapse of Pacaya volcano about 1100 years ago produced a debris-avalanche deposit that extends 25 km onto the Pacific coastal plain and left an arcuate somma rim inside which the modern Pacaya volcano (MacKenney cone) grew. A subsidiary crater, Cerro Chino, was constructed on the NW somma rim and was last active in the 19th century.
During the past several decades, activity at Pacaya has consisted of frequent strombolian eruptions with intermittent lava flow extrusion that has partially filled in the caldera moat and armored the flanks of MacKenney cone, punctuated by occasional larger explosive eruptions that partially destroy the summit of the cone.
Source: GVP

Pacaya Volcano Photos

Significant volcanic eruptions: Pacaya volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Pacaya has had at least 32 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 28 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
Additionally, there are 4 uncertain or discredited eruptions from Pacaya volcano.
The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Pacaya volcano since around 1700. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Pacaya can be found on the news page of Pacaya volcano.
DateNoteVEIDeathsDamage
2015 Jun 7 ±1 d. - 2021 Aug 13MacKenney Crater
Historical obs./docs.
1
2021 Mar
(eruption 2015 Jun 7 ±1 d. - 2021 Aug 13)
Historical obs./docs.
1
light
Info
2014 Aug 25 - 2015 Feb 17MacKenney Crater
Historical obs./docs.
1
2013 Mar 5 - 2014 Apr 10MacKenney Crater
Historical obs./docs.
2
2006 Mar 9 - 2010 Oct 26MacKenney Cone
Historical obs./docs.
3
2010 May 27
(eruptive episode 2010 May 27)
Historical obs./docs.
11
light
Info
2004 Jul 19 ? - 2005 Sep 11MacKenney Cone and lower S flank
Historical obs./docs.
3?
2002 May 30 - Jun 17 ?MacKenney Crater
Historical obs./docs.
1?
2001 Oct 31MacKenney Crater
Historical obs./docs.
1
2000 Aug 16 ±15 d. - 2001 Jul 5 ?MacKenney Crater
Historical obs./docs.
1
1990 Jan 4 ? - 2000 Mar 1MacKenney Crater and flank vents
Historical obs./docs.
3
1995 Apr 7
(eruption 1990 Jan 4 ? - 2000 Mar 1)
Historical obs./docs.
31
light
Info
1965 Jul 4 - 1989 Mar 10MacKenney Crater and flank vents
Historical obs./docs.
3
1987 Jan 25
(eruption 1965 Jul 4 - 1989 Mar 10)
Historical obs./docs.
3
light
Info
1961 Mar 11 - Apr 15 ?Cachajinas vent (South flank, 1860 m)
Historical obs./docs.
2
1885 Dec
Historical obs./docs.
2
1846 FebCerro Chino
Historical obs./docs.
2
?? 1830
Uncertain Eruption
?
1805
Historical obs./docs.
2
1775 Jul 1 - Jul 23 or laterCerro Chino (SW flank and summit)
Historical obs./docs.
3
?? 1760
Uncertain Eruption
?
?? 1717
Uncertain Eruption
?
Remark:
Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Pacaya Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Pacaya volcano?

+How often does Pacaya volcano erupt?

+How active is Pacaya volcano at present?

+When was the largest eruption of Pacaya volcano?

Latest satellite images

Pacaya satellite image sat1Pacaya satellite image sat2
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Pacaya Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (world scale)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (world scale)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (world scale)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (world scale)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale large)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale large)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale small)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale small)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (region scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale large)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale large)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale large)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale medium)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale medium)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale small)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale small)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (local scale small)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 10s of km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 20-40 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Terrain-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of approx. 10-20 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 5-10 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of 5-10 km)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of few kilometers)
Satellite/aerial-type map of Pacaya volcano (scale of few kilometers)
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Pacaya volcano satellite image by (c) Google Earth View
Pacaya volcano satellite image by (c) Google Earth View
Sat, 3 Aug 2024, 14:43

Pacaya volcano (Guatemala) continues its slumber

The volcano continues to be quiet. Only a degassing plume rising 50-100 m from the Mackenney crater can be observed. ... Read all
Wed, 18 Aug 2021, 06:00

Pacaya volcano (Guatemala) - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 18 August-24 August 2021 (Continuing Activity)

INSIVUMEH reported that white-to-blue gas-and-steam emissions rose as high as 600 m above Pacaya's Mackenney crater and drifted as far as 2 km S, SW, and N during 18-25 August. Seismic stations recorded some weak explosion and degassing events on 18 August. ... Read all

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