- CONRED says it is likely that nearly 1,700 people were displaced in areas affected by the eruption of Volcán de Fuego.
- In the departments of Sacatepéquez, Escuintla and Chimaltenango, red-hot lava flows destroyed three homes, after which roads were blocked.
- The authorities report that the eruption of ash and lava has affected 72 communities, and that the number of casualties could rise.
Guatemala’s civil protection agency says it is possible that the eruption of Volcán de Fuego, which caused a landslide of ash and lava, killed three people. Associated Press reports.
According to the words of Claudia Goldes, a spokeswoman for Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres (CONRED), nearly 1,700 people were forced to evacuate their homes in 18 communities, which were affected by the eruption. The eruption of the volcano can be linked to the fact that there is a risk of ash falling. The authorities say the situation is likely to worsen.
Meanwhile, Guatemala’s national weather service says that the volcano’s activity may increase and that the ash plume could spread over a wide area.
Some 29,000 people have been affected by the evacuations in the departments of Sacatepéquez, Escuintla and Chimaltenango. In the three departments, the authorities have reported the evacuation of the population from areas at risk. The agency also said that the ash cloud continues to grow.
Municipal authorities in the affected departments have reported that some people have been evacuated to shelters (where they are being housed) and that others have been relocated to other areas. The authorities also said that the National Disaster Risk Management Agency (CONRED) has reported that 14 people have been injured as a result of the eruption.
According to INSIVUMEH, the volcano’s ash plume is moving with winds and could reach areas up to several kilometers away. The agency said that the ash could fall in areas near the volcano, including in Guatemala City.
In addition, the agency said that the volcano’s activity is likely to continue and that the risk of further hazards remains. It also said that the eruption began on Sunday, and that the eruption’s intensity increased after the landslide.