Guatemala volcano eruption: Latest death toll of deadly eruption
GUATEMALA’S Fuego volcano shot fast-moving currents of ash, lava and super-heated gas down its slopes on June 3, burying villages in its path. The eruption was the worst in four decades and has killed more than a hundred people, but what is the latest death toll?
By AMANI HUGHES
Express.co.uk
Thu, Jun 14, 2018
The latest death toll of Guatemala’s Fuego volcano eruption has risen to 114, according to authorities.
Conrad national disaster agency entered so-called ‘Ground Zero’ in the community of San Miguel Los Lotes in Escuintla province, which was buried under volcanic ash and destroyed by pyroclastic flows.
Search operations had to be suspended on Monday because of heavy rain.
Insivumeh scientific agency reports volcanic activity within the mountain continues.
Up to nine explosions per hours are recorded and the activity is causing repeated avalanches of fine ash and other material along the southeastern flank.
An estimated 1.7 million people had been affected by the eruption.
Authorities have said there is no possibility of finding any survivors in the areas devastated by the volcano eruption.
Health minister Carlos Soto said more than 4,000 people are being housed in shelters and attended to by private organisations, such as the Rotary Club.
Stark images show the aftermath of the volcano eruption, as San Miguel Los Lotes was showered in debris and everything is covered thick layers of sepia-coloured volcanic ash.
People barely had time to run when the volcano propelled scalding, toxic gases down the flanks of Fuego.
The pyroclastic flows hit at a faster speed than lava and destroyed everything in their path.
Inside homes, a blanket of ash can range from a few centimetres to a couple of feet.
Victims were left unrecognisable by the intense heat of the volcanic debris flows.
Meanwhile, another volcano in Guatemala has rumbled to life as Pacaya, located some 30 miles south of the capital, spewed a column of ash and gas around 3,500 metres into the air.
Guatemala City La Aurora international airport temporarily suspended operations on its only runway on Wednesday because of Papaya’s increased activity.
Insivumeh said in a statement the volcano has produced different low-level lava flows over the last few months and winds were blowing the column around 6 miles to the north.
Insivumeh asked authorities to prepare for the possibility that Pacaya may increase its volcanic activity over the “coming hours or days.”
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