The hilly terrain in the foreground is part of a debris avalanche deposit that extends 25 km from the summit of Pacaya to the Pacific coastal plain. Part of the avalanche traveled more than 100 m up the side of the ridge in the background before coming to rest on the valley floor. The avalanche was accompanied by a pyroclastic surge whose deposits overlie the proximal 10 km.

Photo by Lee Siebert, 1988 (Smithsonian Institution).

This image is made available under the Public Domain Dedication CC0 license, but proper attribution is appreciated.

Keywords: debris avalanche deposit

Pacaya