Guatemala evacuates villages after Fuego volcano erupts

Guatemalan authorities ordered evacuations in southern communities around Fuego and closed schools as the volcano sent ash and lava into the sky, triggering the country’s second-highest emergency alert. One report said two villages were being emptied as officials moved people out of the danger zone around Central America’s most active volcano.

Claudinne Ogaldes, executive secretary of CONRED, confirmed to AP that the eruption started Monday evening. Other reporting said Fuego first erupted Monday morning and had intensified by nightfall, with lava flows and huge plumes of ash rising about 6 kilometers, or 4 miles, into the air. The eruption was visible from San Juan Alotenango, where AP photo coverage placed the scene on Tuesday.

The response reflected how quickly Fuego can turn dangerous for communities on its slopes and in nearby valleys. Ash fall, pyroclastic flows and lahars can threaten residents with little warning, and the volcano has long been watched closely because thousands of people live in areas that can be affected by its activity. Guatemala’s orange danger alert signaled a serious threat and brought disaster-response agencies into coordination with local officials on evacuations, road controls and shelter plans.

That kind of early action matters in a country where volcanic emergencies have sometimes become tragedies when warnings came too late. Officials have learned to move faster when Fuego rumbles, especially because ash clouds can disrupt aviation, damage crops, contaminate water supplies and create respiratory problems well beyond the crater. Schools were also closed as part of the response, adding another immediate disruption for families already facing the possibility of hours or days of uncertainty.

The eruption once again put Guatemala’s emergency system to the test in a permanent danger zone along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Fuego’s renewed activity showed both the limits of life near an active volcano and the practical value of evacuation orders that try to get residents out before the worst of the ash and lava arrives.