Eruptions of Fuego and Rincón de la Vieja Volcanoes Prompt Evacuations and Monitoring
Recent volcanic activity in Guatemala and Costa Rica raises concerns over ashfall and pyroclastic flows while authorities monitor the situation closely.
On Thursday, at least 330 residents were evacuated from areas near the Fuego volcano in Guatemala after it erupted, prompting the civil protection agency to issue an orange alert.
The volcano, located approximately 35 kilometers from the capital city, has a history of being the most active in Central America.
Its most catastrophic eruption occurred on June 3, 2018, resulting in a deadly avalanche that killed 215 individuals and left an equal number missing.
The eruption began late Wednesday, with Juan Laureano, a spokesperson for the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred), stating that proactive evacuations were taking place.
Evacuations included 159 individuals from the villages of Panimaché I and Morelia, who were relocated to a gymnasium in Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa.
Additionally, 141 people from two other villages and employees of a local golf course in San Juan Alotenango were moved to a shelter in that town.
Video footage released by Conred showed residents, including children, boarding buses amid rain and ashfall.
Visual reports indicated a significant plume of smoke and ash rising over 5,000 meters, according to the Volcanology Institute.
The agency also cautioned about the potential for pyroclastic flows, a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter, descending the volcano’s slopes.
Prior to this heightened activity, Fuego had been exhibiting normal parameters with weak to moderate explosive activity.
Its last eruption in March prompted temporary evacuations of around 1,000 residents.
Further measures taken included the temporary closure of a roadway that connects southern Guatemala to the popular colonial city of Antigua, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
Separately, the Rincón de la Vieja volcano in northwestern Costa Rica erupted yesterday, projecting an ash column approximately 2,000 meters above its crater.
The eruption, reported at 7:13 a.m. by the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica (Ovsicori), has not resulted in immediate damage or injuries, and local communities remain unaffected at this time.
However, authorities are maintaining close surveillance of the volcano due to its history of frequent activity.
Rincón de la Vieja, located about 270 kilometers from San José, stands at 1,896 meters and is situated within a national park known for its hiking trails and geothermal features, including hot springs.
Recent years have marked it as an active site, with the latest eruptions in 2023 producing ash clouds reaching up to 3,000 meters high.
The current eruption is categorized as phreatic, resulting from interactions between hot magma and water, consistent with prior activities that release steam and ash without significant explosions.
Ovsicori stated that while the eruption is noteworthy, it does not indicate an immediate risk of a larger event.
The National Emergency Commission (CNE) of Costa Rica has not raised the alert level, although ongoing monitoring is in place.
Earlier in 2023, the volcano's erratic behavior prompted an orange alert, not far from the maximum red level, following a record of 58 eruptions in one month.
Local officials have advised residents and visitors to stay updated via local news and to avoid restricted zones near the crater.
This eruptive activity occurs amid broader heightened volcanic activity in Costa Rica, as the Poás volcano also generated headlines in April due to ash plumes reaching elevations of 4,500 meters.
The volcano, located approximately 35 kilometers from the capital city, has a history of being the most active in Central America.
Its most catastrophic eruption occurred on June 3, 2018, resulting in a deadly avalanche that killed 215 individuals and left an equal number missing.
The eruption began late Wednesday, with Juan Laureano, a spokesperson for the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred), stating that proactive evacuations were taking place.
Evacuations included 159 individuals from the villages of Panimaché I and Morelia, who were relocated to a gymnasium in Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa.
Additionally, 141 people from two other villages and employees of a local golf course in San Juan Alotenango were moved to a shelter in that town.
Video footage released by Conred showed residents, including children, boarding buses amid rain and ashfall.
Visual reports indicated a significant plume of smoke and ash rising over 5,000 meters, according to the Volcanology Institute.
The agency also cautioned about the potential for pyroclastic flows, a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter, descending the volcano’s slopes.
Prior to this heightened activity, Fuego had been exhibiting normal parameters with weak to moderate explosive activity.
Its last eruption in March prompted temporary evacuations of around 1,000 residents.
Further measures taken included the temporary closure of a roadway that connects southern Guatemala to the popular colonial city of Antigua, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
Separately, the Rincón de la Vieja volcano in northwestern Costa Rica erupted yesterday, projecting an ash column approximately 2,000 meters above its crater.
The eruption, reported at 7:13 a.m. by the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica (Ovsicori), has not resulted in immediate damage or injuries, and local communities remain unaffected at this time.
However, authorities are maintaining close surveillance of the volcano due to its history of frequent activity.
Rincón de la Vieja, located about 270 kilometers from San José, stands at 1,896 meters and is situated within a national park known for its hiking trails and geothermal features, including hot springs.
Recent years have marked it as an active site, with the latest eruptions in 2023 producing ash clouds reaching up to 3,000 meters high.
The current eruption is categorized as phreatic, resulting from interactions between hot magma and water, consistent with prior activities that release steam and ash without significant explosions.
Ovsicori stated that while the eruption is noteworthy, it does not indicate an immediate risk of a larger event.
The National Emergency Commission (CNE) of Costa Rica has not raised the alert level, although ongoing monitoring is in place.
Earlier in 2023, the volcano's erratic behavior prompted an orange alert, not far from the maximum red level, following a record of 58 eruptions in one month.
Local officials have advised residents and visitors to stay updated via local news and to avoid restricted zones near the crater.
This eruptive activity occurs amid broader heightened volcanic activity in Costa Rica, as the Poás volcano also generated headlines in April due to ash plumes reaching elevations of 4,500 meters.