Hundreds of residents living on the slopes of Guatemala's Fuego volcano have evacuated their homes following a massive eruption that sent lava and ash plumes into the sky. The volcano, Central America's most active, erupted on Monday morning, with activity intensifying by nightfall and prompting authorities to declare the country's second-highest alert level.
Lava flows and ash cloud
By Tuesday, rivers of lava were streaming down the 3,763-meter (12,346-foot) volcano, located less than 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Guatemala City. Ash rose six kilometers (3.73 miles) into the air, turning the sky red.
“Since early morning it was active. That night, the alarm was raised that we needed to evacuate,” said local resident Alejandro Garcia, 68, to AFP. Villagers left voluntarily out of fear, describing terrifying scenes of lava tumbling down the mountainside.
Evacuations and shelters
Firefighters transported at least 350 residents from the villages of El Porvenir and Las Lajitas to the eastward municipality of San Juan Alotenango. Evacuees are staying in a community hall with makeshift beds, while the number of people taken to other nearby towns remains unknown.
“If there were any chance of moving to a different house, it would be better, because you're always afraid since the volcano doesn't give any warning,” said Lidia Ortiz, 40, at the shelter. Escuintla, to the south, was sheltering dozens more families, including children, according to local authorities.
Official warnings and impact
Conred spokesperson Valeria Urizar said in a social media video, “If an evacuation is ordered or conditions pose a risk to your life, follow the principle of self-evacuation.” The country's Institute of Volcanology warned of hot volcanic debris flows down Fuego's slopes, with communities on the western and southern flanks at greatest risk.
Fuego had been erupting for 23 hours straight by Tuesday morning, though intensity was easing. “We've already gotten used to having the volcano constantly active, but this time it was really too much,” said 50-year-old resident Sonia Vasquez.
Precautions and closures
Guatemalan authorities urged “precautions with air traffic,” but there has been no impact on the capital's international airport. The education ministry ordered the suspension of face-to-face classes in communities within two municipalities near the volcano. Traffic police also closed a road encircling the mountain range that connects the south coast with the colonial city of Antigua, a Unesco World Heritage site.
Historical context
Guatemala lies on the Pacific “ring of fire” and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. There have been several mass evacuations in recent years due to Fuego's eruptions. Authorities evacuated more than 500 people last year after Fuego spurted gas and ash, and another eruption in 2023 pushed around 1,200 people to evacuate. In 2018, 215 people were killed and a similar number left missing when lava flows destroyed a village.
