Guatemala evacuates families as Fuego volcano activity increases
Guatemalan fire departments carried out preventive evacuations in communities near the Fuego volcano after increased eruptive activity prompted authorities to declare an orange alert.
Volunteer firefighters assisted families from the communities of El Porvenir and Las Lajitas, along National Route 14 in the municipality of San Juan Alotenango.
Around 85 families, or about 350 people, were transported to a temporary shelter at the Municipal Hall of San Juan Alotenango.
Volunteer firefighter Leandro Amado said the operation was carried out at the request of residents.
"This evacuation was carried out for people who voluntarily asked to be assisted. We deployed more than 25 personnel and 11 pickup trucks, four-by-four, to be able to enter areas of difficult access," Amado said.
Authorities continued monitoring the volcano due to emissions of ash, gases, volcanic material and the risk of hot flows descending its slopes.
The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) ordered the preventive measures as volcanic activity increased.
Fuego volcano, one of Central America's most active volcanoes, remains under continuous monitoring by the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, and Hydrology (Insivumeh) and emergency response agencies.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
