The Volcano of Fire, which in 2018 caused an avalanche that caused 215 deaths in Guatemala, this Saturday began a new phase of eruption with explosions, ejection of ash and lava flow, authorities announced.
“The Volcano of Fire showed an increase in its activity and in the last few minutes it entered the eruption phase (…). The eruption is mostly effusive accompanied by incandescent pulses from the lava source,” the Institute of Volcanology (Insivumeh) said in a newsletter.
According to the institution, the eruption of the volcano, which is 3,763 meters high and located 35 kilometers southwest of Guatemala City, generates “constant weak, moderate and strong explosions”.
It also causes an “incandescent source” of lava that exceeds 500 meters above the crater and a column of ash that rises more than a kilometer from the top of the volcano, located between the departments (provinces) of Escuintla, Chimaltenango and Sacatepéquez, added the Insivumeh.
So far, preventive evacuations have not been ordered in communities close to the colossus, according to Rodolfo García, spokesman for the National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (Conred), the entity responsible for civil defense.
The official explained that he is in communication with the authorities of the populated areas close to the volcano in view of the possible rain of ash northwest of the volcanic cone, in addition to the risk of a lava flow of about 800 meters down a hill.
An eruption of Volcano de Fuego on June 3, 2018 triggered an avalanche of incandescent material that devastated the San Miguel Los Lotes community in Escuintla and part of a road in Sacatepéquez, leaving 215 dead and a similar number missing.
Along with Volcano de Fuego, Santiaguito (west) and Pacaya (south) volcanoes are also active in Guatemala.
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