BBC- Fuego volcano in Guatemala has erupted again, sending lava and ash spewing into the air and prompting the evacuation of at least two villages on its slopes.
- The eruption began on Monday morning and intensified by nightfall, with photos showing lava and huge plumes of ash spewing nearly 4 miles into the air.
- Conred, the country's disaster management agency, issued a nationwide orange alert, the second highest level, warning locals to be prepared for further pyroclastic flows and ash clouds.
- Pyroclastic currents have been reported flowing down Fuego's southeastern slope, with authorities urging residents to stay indoors and avoid the area.
- The Guatemalan Seismology, Vulcanology, Weather, and Water Institute reported that the eruption has increased in explosiveness, with a fountain of lava reaching between 650 and 1,000 feet over the crater.
- Fuego is one of the most active volcanoes in the Western Hemisphere, located just 16km (10 miles) west of Antigua, a city popular with tourists.
- In 2018, more than 200 people were killed when Fuego erupted, many caught in fast-flowing pyroclastic flows.
- Guatemala lies on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity, with Fuego causing several mass evacuations in recent years.
Guatemala's Fuego volcano erupted on Monday, sending lava and ash nearly 4 miles into the air. The eruption has led to the evacuation of at least two villages, with the disaster management agency Conred issuing a nationwide orange alert, the second highest level.12345610
"The eruption increases its explosiveness level. A fountain of lava of between 650 and 1,000 feet has developed over the crater," said the Guatemalan Seismology, Vulcanology, Weather, and Water Institute.9
Authorities warned residents to stay indoors, keeping windows and doors shut, and suspended classes at nearby schools. Photos show lava and huge plumes of ash as pyroclastic currents flow down the volcano's southeastern slope.78
Fuego, located about 10 miles west of the tourist city of Antigua, is one of the most active volcanoes in the Western Hemisphere. Its 2018 eruption resulted in over 200 fatalities, many due to fast-moving pyroclastic flows. In 2023, another eruption caused the evacuation of around 1,200 people.11
The Institute of Volcanology has warned that the volcano is moving towards a more explosive phase, with communities on the western and southern flanks at the greatest risk. Guatemala lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and frequently experiences seismic and volcanic activity.
“Conred, Guatemala's disaster agency, issued a nationwide orange alert and canceled classes near the volcano as pyroclastic flows continued down its slopes. Fuego's 2018 eruption killed 215 people, and authorities evacuated more than 500 residents last year.”
