Guatemala

ONU-SPIDER, la Carta Internacional Espacio y Grandes Desastres, el Centro de Coordinación para la Prevención de Desastres Naturales en América Central y República Dominicana (CEPREDENAC) y la Universidad Federal de Santa María de Brasil (UFSM) organizaron un curso de entrenamiento para facilitar la activación de la Carta Internacional Espacio y Grandes Desastres en México, América Central y República Dominicana, Dicho curso se llevó a cabo en Ciudad Guatemala del 30 de noviembre al 2 de diciembre del 2021.  El curso fue brindado por expertos de la Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales de Argentina (CONAE), el Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales de Brasil (INPE), el Servicio Geológico de los Estados Unidos (USGS) y UFSM. Los expertos  describireron el proceso que utiliza la Carta Internacional en caso de activaciones y los procedimientos y lineamientos que deben seguir los gerentes de proyecto que son designados por la Carta Internacional en caso de…

To facilitate the activation of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters in Central America, Mexico and Dominican Republic, UN-SPIDER, the Central American Coordination Centre for Natural Disaster Prevention (CEPREDENAC) and the International Charter Space and Major Disasters organized a regional training course in Guatemala City, Guatemala, from 30 November to 02 December 2021.   Experts from the National Commission on Space Activities of Argentina (CONAE), National Space Research Institute of Brazil (INPE), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS) made participants aware of the procedures used by the International Charter in case of activations, and on the procedures and guidelines that project managers designated by the International Charter must follow when designated as project managers in case of activations. In addition, an expert from the Federal University of Santa Maria of Brazil (UFSM), in its role as a UN-SPIDER Regional Support Office,…

In Guatemala there are two volcanoes which have been more active recently: Fuego and Pacaya. These volcanoes pose a prominent threat to the lives of the inhabitants of the highly populated surrounding areas. This threat is evidenced by the 2018 eruption of Fuego, which caused the deaths of nearly 200 people, and the recent activity of Pacaya volcano since the beginning of the year, that has impacted communities located in its foothills, and which forced authorities to close Guatemala's international airport in Guatemala City due to ash fall from its activity.

The two volcanoes were effusive and explosive in early February 2021, according to reports by the Smithsonian Institute Global Volcanism Program and the National Institute of Seismology, Meteorology and Hydrology (INSIVUMEH) of Guatemala. This has resulted in volcanic ash and gas being hurled into the atmosphere, of which fine volcanic ash…

The hurricane season in Central America normally quiets down at the end of October, but this year is one of those rare years when tropical storms and hurricanes in the region have occured beyond the typical season. With 30 events thus far, the 2020 tropical storm season in the Caribbean continues to take its toll in developing countries in Central America. Hurricane Eta entered the west coast of Nicaragua on 3 November as a Category 4 hurricane – the second-highest classification category. It triggered massive floods in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala. In some regions, the magnitude of these floods was similar to those triggered by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which devastated the region and killed more than 35,000 people throughout Central America. Fortunately, the consequences of Hurricane Eta were much smaller.

UN-SPIDER has been supporting disaster response efforts to Hurricane Eta at the request of the…

At the end of April and the beginning of May 2020, Peten, the northern province or department of Guatemala, experienced severe forest fires that forced Guatemala’s National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) to request the activation of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters to map the geographical extent of the fires.

To support members of Guatemala’s technical, inter-institutional, GIS and remote sensing team for disaster management (GT-SIGER) in addressing the fires and their impact, Dr. Alexander Ariza, a visiting scientist with the UN-SPIDER programme, conducted a webinar on 7 May 2020 to highlight online products and resources that are available to map the burn severity of forest fires.  

Forest fires have a major influence on ecosystems…

The  Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), a grant-funding mechanism managed by the World Bank, has released a new report that analyzes how machine learning (ML) can be applied in disaster risk management (DRM) projects. The publication provides a concise, demystifying reference that readers - from project managers to data scientists - can easily use. It includes key definitions, case studies and practical considerations for the use of machine learning in disaster risk management.

Machine Learning at a glance

A machine learning (ML) algorithm is a type of computer program that learns to perform specific tasks based on various data inputs or rules provided by its designer. In the context of DRM, machine learning applies predominantly to methods used in the classification or categorization of remotely sensed satellite, aerial, drone and even street-level imagery by capitalizing on a large body of work on image recognition and…

The United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) and the National Council for Science and Technology of Guatemala (CONCYT), through the National Secretariat for Science and Technology (SENACYT), co-organize a seminar in Guatemala from 30 to 31 October about the technological and institutional progress made in Guatemala in prevention, preparedness and response during disaster situations.

Twenty years after Hurricane Mitch made landfall in Guatemala, experts from various disciplines gathered to discuss the advances in science in relation to the different phases of disaster management. In November 1998, Hurricane Mitch killed about 9,000 people and displaced almost half a million. The economic…

UN-SPIDER and the National Secretariat for Science and Technology of Guatemala (SENACYT) joined forces to conduct a seminar on the use of science, technology and innovation in disaster risk reduction and response efforts. The seminar was conducted in Guatemala City on 24 July 2018 as part of the week-long CONVERCIENCIA 2018 event organized by SENACYT. The seminar brought together experts from public and private institutions, universities and non-government organizations (NGOs), as well as students from various universities.

The seminar allowed participants to take note of recent advances in the use of science and technology in the areas of disaster management and emergency response applicable to Guatemala. Specifically, the seminar explored the use of technology to become better aware of risks associated with volcanic and seismic activity, the benefits of satellite technology and drones in case of disasters, and the applications of geospatial technologies in Guatemala’s…

In recent decades, Guatemala has been experiencing disasters triggered by geologic and hydro-meteorological hazards that have impacted urban and rural communities. In order to increase the country’s capacity to make use of space-based information to address these hazards, UN-SPIDER, in conjunction with the National Secretariat of the Council of Science and Technology of Guatemala (SENACYT) and the Executive Secretariat of National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction of Guatemala (SE-CONRED) held three-day training for a technical inter-institutional team. The training took place at the GIS Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture of San Carlos University (USAC), Guatemala City.

Experts from the Agustin Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC, in its role as one of the UN-SPIDER Regional Support Offices) and of the Federal University of Santa Maria in Rio Sul Brazil conducted the training course that targeted 25 participants from 12 government agencies, faculty members from…

The National Secretariat for Science and Technology of Guatemala (SENACYT) organized a week-long event called CONVERCIENCIA 2017 to showcase the research conducted by Guatemalan researchers living abroad and researchers living in Guatemala. The event, conducted from 24 to 28 July 2017, includes conferences in universities and research centres in Guatemala City, Antigua City, Chiquimula City, and Quetzaltenango City. The event brought together researchers who are focusing their efforts in physics, mathematics, chemistry, public health, biology and bio-technology, space technology, information and communications technologies and computer science among others. SENACYT mobilized 19 Guatemalan researchers from countries in Europe, Asia, and America.

UN-SPIDER was invited to participate in this event, and took the opportunity to showcase the use of space technologies in disaster risk reduction, early warning systems and response efforts. Particular attention was given the on-going…

The International Charter: Space and Major Disasters has been triggered to provide satellite-based emergency maps in response to heavy rains that triggered a massive landslide in the "El Cambray 2" urban settlement in Santa Catarina Pinula, Guatemala. The mechanism was activated on 7 October 2015, at 02:57 (UTC+02:00) by the USGS on behalf of the National Emergency Operations Center of Guatemala. The NEOC of Guatemala requested the activation of the Charter via CONAE in Argentina.

Around 160 bodies have been recovered as of 6 October and the NEOC estimates that more than 300 persons are still missing. Search and rescue efforts are being conducted to search for survivors in houses covered by trees and debris.

CONRED officials have declared the area uninhabitable. Over 230…

The Coordination Centre for Natural Disaster Prevention in Central America (CEPREDENAC) in Guatemala launched on 19 November 2012 an online Platform for Information and Communication for Integrated Risk Management: www.info-gir.org. The website offers a range of information and applications that help strengthen mechanisms for coordination and institutional and sectoral communication between the Central American countries. The tool will also provide decision makers with critical information how to minimizes the vulnerability of the population at risk and provide relief in emergency situations.

The portal is the result of a thorough process of review and evaluation of existing tools to generate, disseminate, access and use information relating to disaster risk management. The project was initiated in 2007 in response to the Central American countries' need to access and exchange updated information on this subject in a unified and standardized form on one single site.

On 7 November 2012 at 10:35 am local time, the southwestern region of Guatemala was impacted by a strong earthquake that provoked fatalities and losses. The 7.4 magnitude earthquake had its epicenter 35 kilometers south of the Port of Champerico in the Retalhuleu Department. The National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction of Guatemala (CONRED) conducted a damage and needs assessment and confirmed that most damages took place in the highlands. On 8 November 2012 the President of the Republic of Guatemala, Mr. Otto Perez Molina, declared a State of Public Calamity in San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Quiche and Huehuetenango. In order to obtain satellite imagery and maps of the affected area, the Executive Secretariat of CONRED contacted UN-SPIDER to request the activation of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters, which was subsequently activated by the Argentina Civil Protection Agency (SIFEM) on behalf of CONRED on 8 November 2012. More information is available on…

In collaboration with the Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources (MARN) in Guatemala, UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Office CATHALAC (Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean) is carrying out a satellite-based analysis of the current mangrove cover of Guatemala. The experts elaborated several maps showing the cover in 2012. Various remote sensing and field data techniques were applied to conduct this research. The experts used satellite images of the periods from 2001 to 2012 including Landsat-5 TM, Landsat-7 ETM + (NASA / USGS), Hyperion (NASA) and ALOS PALSAR (JAXA).

Mangrove forests are a natural protective barrier against tropical storms and hurricanes. This research was conducted of the necessity to quantify and identify the current areas of mangroves on the Pacific as well as the Atlantic coast of Guatemala. The results show that both the Pacific and Atlantic Mangrove forests cover an area of approximately 18.904 hectares (189.04…

UN-SPIDER's Regional Support Office CATHALAC (Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean) quickly reacted to yesterday's eruption of Guatemala's Fuego Volcano. In the context of SERVIR, the experts published a preliminary analysis of the volcano eruption including NASA MODIS satellite imagery, NOAA GOESS data as well as prognostics on winds and further volcanic activities. Additionally, via CATHALAC's GeoViewer, several pre- and post-disaster images are available tracking the development of the ash cloud. These 14 departments are affected by the ash cloud covering 89,460 hectares of land: Santiago Atitlán, San Lucas Tolimán, Chicacao, Pochuta, Acatenango, Santa Barbara, Patulul, Yepocapa, Alotenango, Rio Bravo, San Juan Bautista, Escuintla, Siquinalá y Santa…

UN-SPIDER participated in the Central American Communicators' Forum "The role of Institutional Communications in the Culture of Risk Prevention" organised by the Coordination Center for Natural Disaster Prevention of Central America (CEPREDENAC) on 10 July 2012. The forum took place in Guatemala City and was attended by forty public relations and media officers from various ministries, civil protection agencies, and by representatives from mass media including newspapers and television networks from the six Central American countries.

The forum offered a space for reflection and discussion regarding opportunities and roles of institutional communications in the context of integral risk management. In his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of CEPREDENAC, Iván Morales, commented that integral risk management is based on political, economic, social and environmental dimensions and that its aim is to create conditions of integral security throughout the…

In recent years, Guatemala has been affected by a variety of natural hazards including tropical storms, landslides, droughts and volcanic eruptions. Such events have triggered disasters that have forced the government to request humanitarian assistance, and to rethink its reconstruction efforts with risk management practices in mind. In order to generate and make better use of geospatial information to support risk management and emergency response several government agencies are setting up the Inter-institutional Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Group for Risk Management and Disaster Response. This was a key recommendation made by UN-SPIDER during the 2010 Technical Advisory Mission to Guatemala.

The main goals established by the group include: strengthening the capacity of the State of Guatemala to generate information to be used in the decision-making process through a multi-sectorial and inter-institutional approach; and increasing the use of…

On Saturday evening 19 May 2012, the Volcano "Fuego" in Guatemala had a strong eruption, which led to the evacuation of some communities located on its foothills. The National Emergency Response Commission (CONRED) of Guatemala subsequently requested UN-SPIDER's support in facilitating the access to satellite imagery via its network. The International Charter Space and Major Disasters was eventually activated by the Argentina Civil Protection Agency (SIFEM) on behalf of CONRED on 21 May 2012.

The eruption of the 3.700 meters high volcano was one of its largest in recent years. Eruptions began at 2:45 a.m. with explosions and lava fountains up to 400 meters high. The eruption produces an ash column of almost 5000 meters height. Lava and ash prompted evacuations as well as flight restrictions. Authorities declared an "orange" alert after the volcano entered the phase of effusive eruption, throwing lava over 300 meters, and ash ejected more than 5000…

In an effort to showcase the capacity of geo-viewers to enhance situational awareness concerning risks associated with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, Thermopylae Sciences and Technology of the United States, the National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), Mariano Galvez University, and the Center for Natural Disaster Research and Mitigation (CIMDEN) from Guatemala are joining forces to demonstrate the capacities of the 3D-UDOP geo-viewer developed by Thermopylae S&T to display information about these risks in Guatemala and to facilitate the visualization of potential impacts in case of earthquakes in particular areas of the country.

This activity is conducted in the context of the SPIDER Thematic Partnership for Latin America and the Caribbean, which has been established by the UN-SPIDER Programme to support National Platforms for Disaster Reduction that have been set up according to the guidelines proposed by ISDR as vehicles to reach the goals…

On March 5, 2010 the UN-SPIDER attended a meeting with the Lady Executive Director of SEGEPLAN (Secretaría de Planificación y Programación de la Presidencia), Dr. Karin Slowing Umaña to discuss a Technical Advisory Mission (TAM)  to be conducted by UN-SPIDER to Guatemala later this year. 

The mission, to be conducted at the request of SEGEPLAN, builds up on previous interactions between SEGEPLAN and UN-SPIDER. The mission will be conducted to assess current institutional capacities regarding access to and use of space-based information for disaster-risk reduction and emergency response, as a means to provide to SEGEPLAN and other government agencies advice on how to improve institutional capacities in this respect. As in previous cases, the mission will target four key issues: policies regarding the use of space-based information for disaster-risk reduction and emergency response, access to space-based information, use of such information including spatial data…

UN-SPIDER was invited by the Guatemalan Council of Science and Technology to participate in CONVERCIENCIA 2009, which forms part of a strategy to promote the development of science, technology and innovation within Guatemala. On an annual basis, Guatemalan scientists working abroad are invited to conduct outreach activities in the country, network with local scientists and practitioners, deliver presentation to the general public and provide advice to the National Secretariat for Science and Technology. As an outcome of this mission to Guatemala, a project was outlined to be conducted with the support of UN-SPIDER to investigate the dynamics of the problem of sedimentation which arises when torrential rainfall transports extreme amounts of sand from the foothills of active volcanoes to deltas and floodplains. The project will aim at providing municipal and regional governments with policy-relevant advice regarding how to cope with such sedimentation processes through land-use…

UN-SPIDER and the National Secretariat for Science and Technology of Guatemala (SENACYT) join forces to conduct a seminar on the use of science, technology and innovation in disaster risk reduction and response efforts. The seminar entitled "Science and Technology: Applications for Disaster Preparedness and Response in Latin America and the Caribbean. Guatemala:…

In recent decades Guatemala, like other countries around the world, has been experiencing disasters triggered by geologic and hydro-meteorological hazards that have impacted urban and rural communities. As a way to increase the capacity of the National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction of Guatemala (CONRED) and other government agencies to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the space community, UN-SPIDER recommended these government agencies the establishment of a technical, inter-institutional team that would focus its efforts on the generation of geospatial information extracted from space and in situ data as a way to contribute to disaster risk reduction, preparedness and emergency response efforts related to different types of events. An initial technical team was established in July 2012 with five institutions. Unfortunately, the MoU signed among them was not renovated on time, and so, a new efforts has been initiated by SE-CONRED in 2016 as a way to re-…