The most active volcano in Central America erupted, spewing dense ash clouds over farms and communities near the capital.
As a result, Guatemalan authorities evacuated more than 1,000 people and closed a road. Official of civil protection Oscar Cossio reported that 1,054 people had been evacuated from five communities near the volcano's base and relocated to a sports hall for shelter.
'Volcano of Fire' Erupts in Guatemala
As a complete tally of the evacuees is compiled, the number will likely increase, he stated. Guatemala's Conred disaster center reported that the volcano named Fuego, which translates to "fire" in Spanish, was emitting "pyroclastic flows" - a high-temperature mixture of gas, ash, and rock fragments "that descend with tremendous velocity down the flanks of the volcanic complex."
Per CBS News, the height of the ash column emitted by Fuego was roughly 19,000 feet above sea level. Concerns over an ash cloud caused by a volcanic eruption in Russia forced Alaska Airlines to cancel some flights to and from Alaska last month.
Conred reported that ash was descending to the west and southwest of the volcano, away from the 22-mile-northeast capital of Guatemala City. As the "high level" eruption persists, stronger emissions and mudslides are possible due to the forecasted precipitation.
Conred official Rodolfo Garcia estimated that 130,000 people reside in areas subjected to descending ash, which fell as far as 100 kilometers from the crater. He reported that 13 emergency shelters had opened in four adjacent towns, which could house 7,600 persons.
The authorities decided to close the RN-14 route that connects several communities to Antigua, the country's most popular tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It also implored residents and tourists to avoid a 7-kilometer restricted zone surrounding the volcano.
Conred official Rodolfo Garcia estimated that 130,000 people reside within 100 kilometers of the crater where ash fell. He reported that 13 emergency shelters had opened in four adjacent towns, which could house 7,600 persons.
Guatemala Volcano Eruption Prompts to Close Most Famous Tourist Destination
According to Dawn, the authorities decided to close the RN-14 route that connects several communities to Antigua, the country's most popular tourist destination and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
It advised those living in areas at risk of the ash cloud to closely observe any instructions issued by authorities. It urged locals and tourists to avoid a seven-kilometer restricted area surrounding the volcano. Per AA, the 2018 Fuego eruption claimed the lives of 194 people and left hundreds of others missing, injured, and exiled.
Residents should cover water tanks to prevent contamination, wear masks to avoid breathing in ash, remove fallen debris from their roofs to prevent damage from heavy deposits, and prepare evacuation survival packages for their pets. Transit police released photographs of vehicles and motorcycles stopped along highways to avoid becoming mired in smoke.
In December 2013, a magma and ash eruption from the same volcano forced Guatemalan authorities to close the country's main airport temporarily. On average, the 12,345-foot-tall volcano erupts every four to five years.
In 2018, an eruption sent torrents of lava cascading down its sides, destroying the village of San Miguel Los Lotes, murdering 215 people, and leaving a comparable number unaccounted for. Other active volcanoes in Guatemala include Santiaguito in the west and Pacaya in the south.
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