Guatemalas Fuego Volcano Explodes Again Prompting Evacuations as Death Toll Rises to 75
Guatemala's deadly Fuego volcano exploded again Tuesday, prompting authorities to issue another evacuation order, Reuters reports, as the death toll from the eruption climbed to 75. Thousands of people have been evacuated in Guatemala since Sunday, when Fuego's largest eruption in four decades shot hot gas and smoke 6.2 miles into the sky, according to CONRED, the country's natural disaster agency. The blast left nearby areas blanketed in ash as molten lava flowed into local communities and rescue workers fought to locate trapped residents. On Tuesday, authorities said at least 75 people have died in the eruption, with another 192 listed missing, according to the Associated Press. Guatemala's disaster agency said that a new column of smoke and ash was rising from the volcano Tuesday and that hot gas and molten rock was descending down its south side, AP reports. Read More What to Know About Guatemala's Fuego Volcano Eruption, Fuego is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America, and is located just 27 miles from the capital, Guatemala City. Falling ash has already forced the city's airport to suspend operations. CONRED expects 1.7 million people to be affected by the eruption, with some fleeing just ahead of fast-moving lava flows that reached 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit. Hundreds have been injured, and the death toll is expected to continue to rise, as rescue workers have not been able to identify all of the bodies due to the high temperatures. , The chance of finding additional survivors in the affected area is also dwindling, according to CONRED spokesperson Juan Sanchez. "We don't rule out the possibility of some person alive, but the condition in which the homes are makes that possibility pretty unlikely," Sanchez said, according to AP.