More than a thousand people were evacuated on Thursday in Guatemala after the Fuego volcano erupted. This summit, close to the capital, is home to the most active volcano in all of Central America.
The eruption began this Thursday morning and caused fiery clouds, mixtures of gas, water vapor and debris at very high temperatures which descend the slopes at very high speed. To protect the population, a total of 1,054 people living in five neighboring villages were evacuated, said the director of the Coordination for Disaster Reduction (Conred).
A column of ash 6,000 m high
According to Conred, about 130,000 people live under the threat of the Fuego volcano, a colossus 3,763 m high located 35 km from the capital Guatemala. Thursday evening, however, the director general of the Institute of Volcanology of Guatemala announced a “decrease in the activity of the volcano”. Earlier, Conred had indicated that the eruptive column, composed of gas and ash, rose up to 6,000 m above sea level.
Fuego Volcano last erupted in December 2022. Guatemala’s international airport and a busy tourist route had to be closed. The passage on this famous road was also interrupted this Thursday. In Guatemala two other volcanoes are active: those of Santiaguito (west of the country) and Pacaya (south).
