Guatemala: Three active volcanoes in the country

Event

On Thursday, June 14, Guatemalan officials reported explosions and ash columns at three volcanoes; the Volcán de Fuego (Chimaltenango department), Volcán de Pacaya (Escuintla department), and Volcán Santiaguito (Quetzaltenango department). Volcanic landslides were also reported at the Fuego and Santiaguito volcanoes. Recent eruptions of the Pacaya and Fuego volcanoes both forced the temporary suspension of flights at Guatemala City's La Aurora International Airport (GUA) due to falling ash.

Evacuation orders remain in place around the Fuego volcano following the major June 3 eruption, as do red alerts issued by Guatemala's emergency response agency CONRED - indicating emergency situations in which individuals should evacuate zones of imminent danger - for the three departments that surround the volcano: Chimaltenango, Escuintla, and Sacatepéquez

Context

Volcán de Fuego erupted on June 3, killing at least 110 people; nearly 200 others are still missing. The eruption destroyed almost 1000 houses, forced more than 12,000 people to evacuate affected areas, and affected an estimated total of 1.7 million people.

Advice

Individuals present in the above areas are advised to monitor the situation and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders).