A new eruption in Fuego Volcano in Guatemala forced the evacuation of nearly 4,000 people from nearby communities on Monday, reliving the fear of the colossal fury that left 194 dead and 234 missing people in June.
The 3,763-meter high volcano located 35 km southwest of Guatemala City began its fifth eruptive cycle on Sunday morning, and around midnight increased the violence of its explosions, which also led to a red alert in the area.
In the most intense peaks of the eruption, the ash plumes reached more than 1,000 meters above the volcanic cone, causing a rain of particles in neighboring towns. In addition, it ejected columns of lava about 500 meters above the crater with drops of pyroclastic flows, a mixture of gases, ash, and fiery rocks in ravines west of the volcano.
On June 3rd, the volcano had a powerful eruption that caused an avalanche of burning material that devastated the community of San Miguel Los Lotes. These natural events reach temperatures of 200 to 900 degrees Celsius and, depending on the volume of the material, they can descend at a speed of 700 kilometers per hour.
Along with Fuego Volcano, Pacaya and Santiaguito volcanoes, 20 km south and 117 km west of the capital, respectively, are also active in Guatemala and have increased their activity but have not entered the eruptive phase.