Approximately 250 residents near Guatemala’s Volcano of Fire were evacuated Thursday as an eruption sent ash and molten rock cascading down its slopes, the Associated Press (AP) reports.
The Volcano of Fire started erupting in late April through early May, according to the Smithsonian Institute’s Global Volcanism Program. The initial eruption was considered weak to moderate, bringing rumbling sounds, shockwaves and ash plumes to the local communities.
Residents were being moved from the hamlet of Panimache to shelters in attempts to avoid any loss of life from the multiple hazards posed by the eruption, AP reported, citing local firefighters. Guatemala’s local disaster agency said ash clouds from the eruption could impact upwards of 100,000 people in communities surrounding the enormous volcano, according to the outlet.
Ash had already been reported 20 miles away to the west and southwest, carried by prevailing winds, the New York Post reported. The Volcano of Fire is roughly 12,300 feet tall and one of the most active in Central America, having killed at least 194 people in 2018, according to AP.
Eruption of the volcano of Fire in Guatemala pic.twitter.com/gDaucNkcKY
— CosmosUp (@CosmossUp) June 4, 2018
A further 234 people remained missing following the explosive eruption, according to a report from the time. (RELATED: ‘The Volcano’ Is A Harrowing Tale Of Our Planet’s Violence And Power)
Some of the biggest hazards from volcanos are lahars and pyroclastic flows. Lahars are created when dust, ash and debris are mixed with water and form a thick and powerful mudflow. Pyroclastic flows are giant clouds of superheated, turbulent ash.