Guatemala's Fuego Volcano Erupts, Sending Ash 6 Kilometers High

Guatemala's Fuego Volcano, one of Central America's most active volcanoes, has erupted, prompting authorities to issue the highest red alert level across three neighboring provinces and evacuate about 1,000 residents.

According to AFP and local daily Prensa Libre on the 4th (local time), the 3,763-meter-high Fuego Volcano has shown intense eruptive activity since the previous day, releasing lava and pyroclastic flows down the Seca and Ceniza valleys along its southwestern slopes.

Guatemala's National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) stated that the eruption sent columns of ash and gas soaring up to 6,000 meters above sea level, with lava and pyroclastic flows rushing down the mountainside. As a precaution, 1,000 residents from nearby villages were evacuated.

Pyroclastic flows are a mixture of high-temperature gas, ash, and rock fragments rushing down slopes.

With temperatures exceeding 200°C (392°F) and speeds surpassing 100 kilometers per hour, they are the most lethal type of volcanic hazard.

They are known to be far more dangerous than slow-moving lava.


Out of concern for potential damage, Guatemalan authorities issued a red alert for three nearby provinces—Escuintla, Sacatepéquez, and Chimaltenango—and activated emergency response systems.

A total of 1.6 million people reside across these three provinces.

In addition, Route 14, a major highway passing near the volcano, was temporarily closed, and the Ministry of Education suspended in-person classes at schools in the affected municipalities.

Sonia Vásquez, a 50-year-old resident, told AFP, "We are already used to the volcano continuously being active, but this time it is really severe."

Located about 40 kilometers southwest of the capital, Guatemala City, the Fuego Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America.

During a massive eruption in June 2018, pyroclastic flows swiftly engulfed villages, killing over 200 people and directly or indirectly affecting 1.7 million others.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.