Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A dramatic pyroclastic flow raced down the slopes of the Santiaguito lava dome complex on Guatemala's Santa María Volcano on July 12, 2026. The hot avalanche of volcanic rock, ash, and gas descended nearly the entire visible length of the volcano before gradually coming to rest.
Pyroclastic flows are among the most dangerous volcanic phenomena on Earth, capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 100 km/h (60 mph) while reaching temperatures of several hundred degrees Celsius. At Santiaguito, they are typically generated when unstable portions of the actively growing lava dome collapse, sending searing clouds of rock and ash down the volcano's steep flanks.
The Santiaguito lava dome complex has been in nearly continuous eruption since 1922, following the catastrophic 1902 eruption of Santa María—one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century. Dome collapses and the resulting pyroclastic flows are a regular part of its ongoing activity and are closely monitored because of the hazards they pose to surrounding valleys.
Captured live in Guatemala.
A dramatic pyroclastic flow raced down the slopes of the Santiaguito lava dome complex on Guatemala's Santa María Volcano on July 12, 2026. The hot avalanche of volcanic rock, ash, and gas descended nearly the entire visible length of the volcano before gradually coming to rest.
Pyroclastic flows are among the most dangerous volcanic phenomena on Earth, capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 100 km/h (60 mph) while reaching temperatures of several hundred degrees Celsius. At Santiaguito, they are typically generated when unstable portions of the actively growing lava dome collapse, sending searing clouds of rock and ash down the volcano's steep flanks.
The Santiaguito lava dome complex has been in nearly continuous eruption since 1922, following the catastrophic 1902 eruption of Santa María—one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the 20th century. Dome collapses and the resulting pyroclastic flows are a regular part of its ongoing activity and are closely monitored because of the hazards they pose to surrounding valleys.
Captured live in Guatemala.
