Guatemala’s famous active volcano, Volcán de Fuego, erupted violently on Monday, August 3rd, with increasing intensity. Authorities began evacuating residents near the volcano that evening. As of now, nearly 1,700 people have been evacuated, and the highest level of red alert has been issued for multiple regions.
According to media reports, Volcán de Fuego started erupting on Monday morning and intensified as night fell. Guatemala’s National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, and Hydrology (INSIVUMEH) announced on Tuesday that since the eruption began, volcanic activity has continued to strengthen, reaching the “most intense eruptive phase.”
Monitoring shows that lava fountains from the volcano reached heights of about 200 to 300 meters, with ash columns rising more than 5,000 meters into the sky, spreading outwards up to 120 kilometers. Over the past 24 hours, 34 seismic events have been recorded, and hot volcanic debris flows rapidly down nearby canyons for about 5 to 6 kilometers, posing a serious threat to surrounding communities.
Guatemala’s National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) has raised the nationwide alert to the second-highest level of orange and issued the highest level red alert for at least three administrative districts. So far, 1,699 residents have been evacuated from the danger zone, with nearly 300 people temporarily sheltered in evacuation centers.
Currently, 18 communities and nearly 30,000 people are affected by volcanic ash and thick smoke. While there have been no reports of lava flowing into residential areas or damage to homes, authorities have precautionarily closed Highway 14 leading to San Juan Alotenango town, and some schools in nearby towns have suspended classes.
Furthermore, volcanic ash has affected airspace in the western and southwestern regions, prompting the Civil Aviation Authority to issue flight safety warnings to airlines. However, the country’s main international airport is still operating normally at present.
Authorities state that they will continue to closely monitor volcanic activity over the next 72 hours and may expand alert levels or evacuation areas further if necessary.
Located about 50 kilometers southwest of Guatemala City, Volcán de Fuego stands at an altitude of 3,763 meters and is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America. In recent years, Guatemala has witnessed several large-scale evacuations due to eruptions from this volcano.