In Guatemala’s San Juan Alotenango, the Volcano of Fire has erupted, prompting authorities to evacuate nearly 300 families and warn that an additional 30,000 people in the area may be at risk. The eruption began overnight with no immediate reports of casualties. Standing at 12,300 feet (3,763 meters) high, this volcano is among the most active in Central America, having last erupted in June 2023. The eruption on Monday released gas and ash high into the sky, prompting the closure of schools in the vicinity and a crucial road connecting communities.
Claudinne Ugalde, the secretary of the disaster agency, expressed concern for the approximately 30,000 people at risk in the affected areas, emphasizing the need for evacuation or self-evacuation. The primary danger posed by the volcano is from lahars, a hazardous mixture of ash, rock, mud, and debris capable of engulfing entire towns. A previous eruption in 2018 resulted in the tragic loss of 194 lives and left 234 individuals missing.
Isaac García, a 43-year-old resident of El Porvenir near the volcano, recalled the 2018 eruption and promptly evacuated with his family upon receiving the authorities’ warning. Amidst the falling ash, García, wearing a protective mask, sought refuge at a shelter in San Juan Alotenango along with his mother, wife, three children, and other relatives.
Located 33 miles (53 km) from Guatemala City, the volcano’s current volcanic material flow is described as weak to moderate but is expected to intensify, as indicated by Guatemala’s disaster agency early on Monday. For more news on Latin America and the Caribbean, follow AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
