Guatemala's Volcan de Fuego forces hundreds to evacuate
People were forced to leave their homes, and roads and schools were closed following the eruption of "the volcano of fire" near Guatemala City. Authorities are preparing for further evacuations.
Huge pillar of smoke
First, smoke and ash came out of the crater of the active "volcano of fire." Then the volcano, which is more than 3,500 meters (11,483 feet) high, hurled glowing red lava a further 7,000 meters into the air. Guatemala lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic activity occur frequently.
Evacuation to safety
Hundreds of people had to be evacuated to safety after the volcanic eruption. As recently as 2018, at least 215 people died and hundreds were reported missing in a devastating eruption of the same volcano.
Hundreds in emergency shelters
Five villages in the departments of Chimaltenango, Escuintla and Sacatepequez have already been evacuated, reported Juan Laureano, spokesman for the National Coordinator for Disaster Risk Reduction in Guatemala. Many residents still remember the volcano's last eruption and are all too willing to leave their homes.
'We prefer to leave rather than mourn'
"We prefer to leave rather than mourn the death of everyone in the village later," Celsa Perez, a 25-year-old woman who had to leave her home because of the eruption, told the AFP news agency.
Roads remain closed for now
Police cordoned off roads around the risk area, and National Route 14 was also closed, as seen here. Around 39 schools remain closed for safety reasons. Authorities are preparing people for further evacuations due to ongoing volcanic activity.
Volcano under surveillance
Police officers observe the volcano's activity from the village of El Rodeo a few kilometers south of the active crater. There have been repeated mass evacuations due to the "volcano of fire" in recent years, the latest in March. Evacuations are now initiated at an early stage to prevent disasters.