The Volcan de Fuego fire volcano in Guatemala which is one of Central America most active volcanoes erupted violently on Sunday
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – The Volcan de Fuego (fire volcano) in Guatemala, which is one of Central America’s most active volcanoes, erupted violently on Sunday, spewing a river of red-hot lava, which left at least 25 people dead.
According to the government agency for disaster reduction, CONRED, the eruption left residents covered in ash as they fled from the billowing plumes.
CONRED said that the volcanic eruption on Sunday belched thick clouds of smoke nearly six miles into the air and the ashen remnants covered entire neighborhoods.
The agency further confirmed that 25 people had been killed and 20 others were injured in the eruption.
According to Guatemala’s National Institute of Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology, the eruption officially ended late Sunday.
It said in a statement, “The eruption… is reaching its end with 14.763 feet of ash and weak-to-moderate explosions and incandescence in its crater.”
However, the institute has warned that there could be new eruptions, and residents in the surrounding areas should be on alert for mudslides containing volcanic material.
According to officials, volcanic ash had spread in a 12-mile radius and winds could carry the cloud even farther.
Following the eruption, Guatemala’s President Jimmy Morales declared three days of national mourning.
In a statement, Morales told of the nation’s “deep pain” because of the “irreparable losses” in human lives.
Meanwhile, the Director of the disaster agency Sergio Garcia Cabanas said that residents living near the volcano had been ordered to evacuate immediately.
Further, some in Chimaltenango, Sacatepequez and Escuintla states were warned to watch out for volcanic rocks and ash.
Cabanas added that over 3,100 people have been evacuated so far, while search and rescue efforts continue into the night.
According to the agency, the explosion will affect 1.7 million people and residents have been told to avoid roads close to the volcano and ensure water is not contaminated.
The country’s health ministry has stated that at least 15 people have been hospitalized, including 12 children.
The ministry added that some of those affected had suffered severe burns.
In a video released by CONRED, Consuelo Hernandez, one of the survivors described the horror and destruction when the volcano erupted.
Hernandez said, “Not everyone escaped, I think they were buried. We saw the lava was pouring through the corn fields and we ran toward a hill.”
Hernandez further told officials from the disaster agency that some of her relatives were buried.
Officials said that the explosion rained soot over the popular tourist destination and other villages in the Sacatepéquez state, which were covered in ash.
According to Cabanas, villages south of the volcano in the Escuintla department were affected, too, Cabañas said.
Adding that some ash reached the capital of Guatemala City, which is about 25 miles away.
This, officials said, forced the closure of the only runway at Guatemala’s international airport, the La Aurora international airport, which was reportedly covered in volcanic ash.
The Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto expressed condolences and offered assistance.
Nieto said in a statement, “All our solidarity and support to President Jimmy Morales and the Guatemalan people for the loss of human life after the eruption of the volcano of Fire.”
Further, the President of El Salvador too offered his condolences in a tweet and said his country stood ready to assist its neighbour.
The Mayor of Puerto Rico too has expressed his solidarity.
Guatemala is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which makes it a quake-prone region that experiences frequent seismic activity.
The 40,000-kilometer area stretches from the boundary of the Pacific Plate and the smaller plates such as the Philippine Sea plate to the Cocos and Nazca Plates that line the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
The Fuego volcano is near the colonial city of Antigua and reaches an altitude of 12,346 feet above sea level at its peak.
Guatemala has two other active volcanoes, Santiaguito and Pacaya.
Sunday’s eruption was the second major eruption from the peak this year and has left countless people injured.
However, officials said that it is the biggest eruption Guatemala has seen since 1974.
