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Thousands evacuated as Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupts

Fifth eruption this year follows June event which killed more than 190 people

The Fuego Volcano erupting, as seen from El Rodeo municipality, in Escuintla department, 45km southwest of Guatemala City. Photograph: Johan Ordonez/AFP/Getty Images
The Fuego Volcano erupting, as seen from El Rodeo municipality, in Escuintla department, 45km southwest of Guatemala City. Photograph: Johan Ordonez/AFP/Getty Images
Mon Nov 19 2018 - 20:24

Nearly 4,000 people were evacuated on Monday from areas around Guatemala’s Fuego volcano, which began violently erupting overnight, the country’s disaster agency Conred said.

The volcano spewed out dangerous flows of fast-moving clouds of hot ash, lava and gas early on Monday and more than 2,000 people had taken refuge in shelters so far, officials from the agency told reporters. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

More dangerous flows of hot ash and lava could be expelled, said Juan Pablo Oliva, the head of the country's seismological, volcanic and meteorological institute Insivumeh.

The Fuego volcano eruption at sunrise, seen from El Rodeo, Escuintla, Guatemala. Photograph: Esteban Biba/EPA
The Fuego volcano eruption at sunrise, seen from El Rodeo, Escuintla, Guatemala. Photograph: Esteban Biba/EPA
The provisional shelter after people were evacuated from areas around Fuego volcano, which began violently erupting, in Escuintla, Guatemala. Photograph: Luis Echeverria/Reuters
The provisional shelter after people were evacuated from areas around Fuego volcano, which began violently erupting, in Escuintla, Guatemala. Photograph: Luis Echeverria/Reuters

In June, explosive flows from Fuego killed more than 190 people.

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This is the fifth eruption so far this year of the 3,763m (12,346ft) volcano, one of the most active in Central America, about 30km south of Guatemala City. – Reuters