The Fuego volcano, near the capital of Guatemala, increased its activity on Monday with the expulsion of columns of ash and the descent of lava, reported the Institute of Volcanology (Insivumeh), although without causing evacuations so far.
“The effusive activity of the Fuego volcano (3,763 meters above sea level) has registered a progressive increase,” said Insivumeh in a special bulletin on the colossus, located 35 km southwest of Guatemala City.
The Insivumeh detailed that the intensity of the explosions has generated high columns of ash that reach 5,000 meters in height, along with the formation of “a new lava flow” more than a kilometer long to the west of the volcanic cone.
He also reported the descent of pyroclastic flows, a mixture of volcanic material (ash, rocks of various sizes and hot gases) that move at high speeds and temperatures down the slopes of the volcano.
“Communication is maintained with leaders” of the communities near the volcano and municipal authorities of the departments of Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango and Escuintla, which share its jurisdiction, to evacuate if necessary, said Rodolfo García, spokesman for Civil Protection.
At the moment the authorities reported ash rain in a dozen communities.
An eruption of the Fuego volcano, on June 3, 2018, caused an avalanche that devastated the community of San Miguel Los Lotes (Escuintla) and part of a road in the neighboring town of Alotenango (Sacatepéquez), leaving 215 dead and a similar number. of disappeared.
Along with Fuego, the Santiaguito (west) and Pacaya (south) volcanoes are also active in Guatemala.
