Guatemala Fuego volcano eruption claims 73 lives; nearly 200 missing
Guatemala's Fuego volcano eruption has so far taken over 73 lives and nearly 200 people are missing since the weekend eruptions began, officials said today. Seven communities in devastated areas were evacuated as the volcano's activity increased, with rescue operations halted. In the city of Escuintla, near the summit, panicked locals rushed to their cars to escape, causing chaotic traffic. Here's more.
Volcano released large amounts of boiling mud, rock, ash
An AFP photographer witnessed a long cloud of ash in the sky, prompting the evacuation of everyone authorities could find before rescuers were stood down. The search for bodies in mountain villages destroyed by the eruption was progressing slowly, officials said, given the nature of the terrain and the way the volcano released large amounts of boiling mud, rock, and ash down the mountain.
Possibilities of finding more survivors looks dim
"We will continue until we find the last victim. We will probe the area as many times as necessary," disaster relief agency chief Sergio Cabanas said. However, the prospects of finding any more survivors were poor, he said. The latest victim was a 42-year-old woman who died in hospital having lost both legs and an arm in the eruption.
People trapped in the pyroclastic flow may never be found
"If you are trapped in a pyroclastic flow, it's hard to come out of it alive. People who may have been caught in the flow may never be found," Sergio Cabanas said.
Evacuees living in shelters in Escuintla, Sacatepequez, Chimaltenango
Authorities said more than 1.7 million people had been affected by the calamity, including more than 3,000 ordered evacuated and those living in shelters in Escuintla, Sacatepequez, and Chimaltenango. The speed of eruption took locals by surprise, and could be explained by it producing pyroclastic flows, sudden emissions of gas and rock fragments, rather than lava, said volcanologist David Rothery of Britain's Open University.
Guatemala President declares 3 days of mourning
The 3,763-metre volcano erupted early Sunday, spewing out towering plumes of ash and a hail of fiery rock fragments. President Jimmy Morales has declared three days of national mourning and visited the disaster zone. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was deeply saddened by the "tragic loss of life and the significant damage caused by the eruption," and said the UN was ready to assist.
