Guatemala evacuates villages due to an eruption of the Fuego volcano

GUATEMALA CITY: Authorities in Guatemala have ordered evacuations in some southern communities around the Fuego volcano, which is erupting.

Claudinne Ogaldes, executive secretary of the Guatemalan disaster management agency, CONRED, confirmed on Monday (Aug 4) evening to The Associated Press that the eruption started on Monday morning and increased during the day, which led to evacuation orders for two villages around the mountain.

Live images of the situation showed big clouds of gas and ash over the volcano as lava and pyroclastic flows rolled down the slopes at great speed.

“The eruption increases its explosiveness level. A fountain of lava of between 200m and 300m has developed over the crater,” according to a report from the Guatemalan Seismology, Vulcanology, Weather and Water Institute.