2018 Volcán de Fuego eruption
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The 2018 eruption was a series of volcanic explosions and pyroclastic flows from the (Spanish for Volcano of Fire) in on Sunday 3 June 2018. The eruption included lahars,
pyroclastic flow A pyroclastic flow (also known as a pyroclastic density current or a pyroclastic cloud) is a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter (collectively known as tephra) that flows along the ground away from a volcano at average speeds of b ...
s, and clouds of volcanic ash, which left almost no evacuation time at all and caused the death of officially nearly 200 people. It was the deadliest eruption in Guatemala since 1929.


Background

(
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
for "Volcano of Fire") is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and is located from
Guatemala City Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, ne ...
. It is a stratovolcano that has had more than 60 eruptions since 1524, including a major eruption in 1974 which produced
pyroclastic flows A pyroclastic flow (also known as a pyroclastic density current or a pyroclastic cloud) is a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter (collectively known as tephra) that flows along the ground away from a volcano at average speeds of b ...
that destroyed the region's winter harvest and ashfall that covered nearby cities. The 3 June eruption is one of the deadliest in the country, including the Santa María eruption of 1902 and the dome collapse of 1929, which killed hundreds. The most eruptive phase began in 2002 and produced an explosive eruption in 2012 that forced 33,000 people to evacuate, but had no reported deaths. The population around the volcano is estimated to be 54,000 within and more than 1 million within .


Eruption

On Sunday 3 June 2018, at around noon local time, in southern began a
volcanic eruption Several types of volcanic eruptions—during which lava, tephra (ash, lapilli, volcanic bombs and volcanic blocks), and assorted gases are expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure—have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are oft ...
which left almost no evacuation time.The Latest: New evacuations at Guatemala's Volcano of Fire
. The Associated Press. 8 June 2018.
The heat and explosive impact of the volcano brought about rocks the size of baseballs and larger strewn about, and car tires melted into the ground. Most of the injuries and fatalities were south of the volcano in the towns and villages of El Rodeo, , and , in
Escuintla Escuintla () is an industrial city in Guatemala, its land extension is 4384 km², and it is nationally known for its sugar agribusiness. Its capital is a minicipality with the same name. Citizens celebrate from December 6 to 9 with a small fair ...
, located from
Guatemala City Guatemala City ( es, Ciudad de Guatemala), known locally as Guatemala or Guate, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous urban area in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, ne ...
. , a community north of was covered with deep hot ash. The eruption prompted the evacuation of about 3,100 people from nearby areas. Ashfall forced the shutdown of
La Aurora International Airport La Aurora International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional La Aurora, ) serves Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City's center and from Antigua Guatemala. It is administered by the Dirección General de Aeronáut ...
, the country's primary airport, where members of the Guatemalan military were deployed to remove ash off the runway; some flights were canceled, but the airport was able to reopen on 4 June. The eruption produced an ash column approximately in height.
Pyroclastic flow A pyroclastic flow (also known as a pyroclastic density current or a pyroclastic cloud) is a fast-moving current of hot gas and volcanic matter (collectively known as tephra) that flows along the ground away from a volcano at average speeds of b ...
s—fast-moving clouds of hot gas and volcanic matter—caused many of the casualties and crop damage. , 's national institute of volcanology, warned on 4 June that further pyroclastic flows and lahars (volcanic mudflows) were possible. Heavy rainfall during the eruption led to the formation of dangerous lahars. Volcanic material buried several of the affected villages and cut off roadways. The poor weather and unpredictable lahars complicated the recovery operation, and all rescue efforts had to be suspended overnight on 3 June. The volcanic material also destroyed an estimated of corn, bean, and coffee crops.


Continued June eruptions

On 5 June, a second eruption occurred and prompted additional evacuations. On 8 June, new volcanic flows prompted more evacuations of rescue workers and residents of the town of El Rodeo, who had recently returned to their homes and were told to leave once again. On 9 June, additional lahars prompted preventive evacuations in
Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa () is a town, with a population of 58,877 (2018 census),Citypopulation.de
Populatio ...
. Around 69 people died from the eruption, and air travel was postponed because of the ash cloud.


November eruption

On 18 November 2018, Volcán de Fuego entered a new eruptive and violent phase that prompted preventive evacuations of approximately 4,000 people from communities near the volcano. CONRED issued a red alert in the area that closed main roads and suspended flights at the
La Aurora International Airport La Aurora International Airport ( es, Aeropuerto Internacional La Aurora, ) serves Guatemala City, Guatemala. It is located south of Guatemala City's center and from Antigua Guatemala. It is administered by the Dirección General de Aeronáut ...
.


Victims

At least 190 people were killed, 57 injured, and 256 remained missing as of 30 July 2018—including a number of children, a CONRED officer, firefighters, and a policeman—although local residents estimate that approximately 2,000 people are buried and a local organization said that up to 2,900 may have died. Due to the intense heat and burn injuries, many bodies were planned to be identified with anthropological methods and DNA. As of 18 June 2018, up to 159 cases entered the morgues, with 85 of the victims having been identified.


Animals

Animals such as dogs, cats, chickens, monkeys, donkeys and other species were found by rescuers with burns or blinded by the eruption. In many cases urgent veterinary care was required to treat eye infections, respiratory problems, and burns caused by dust, hot ash and gas from the eruption. In one heartbreaking instance, a dog led rescuers towards its destroyed owners' home, where his owner, and the rest of people in the house, had been killed.


Response

Former President
Jimmy Morales Jimmy Morales (born James Ernesto Morales Cabrera, ; 18 March 1969) is a Guatemalan politician, actor and comedian. From 2016 to 2020, he served as the 50th president of Guatemala. Early and personal life Morales was born in Guatemala City ...
ordered three days of national mourning in response to the disaster and visited some of the affected towns and villages in person on 4 June. Messages of support, solidarity, and offers of assistance were given by various world leaders. The (CONRED), Guatemala's disaster relief agency, reported that more than 1.7 million people have been affected by the eruption and its ashfall. A state of emergency was declared in the departments of
Escuintla Escuintla () is an industrial city in Guatemala, its land extension is 4384 km², and it is nationally known for its sugar agribusiness. Its capital is a minicipality with the same name. Citizens celebrate from December 6 to 9 with a small fair ...
,
Chimaltenango Chimaltenango is a city in Guatemala with a population of 96,985 (2018 census).Citypopulation.de
Population of ...
, and
Sacatepéquez Sacatepéquez () was a city in Guatemala from November 21, 1542 until July 29, 1773 when it was destroyed by the Santa Marta earthquake. Sacatepéquez means ''grasshill'' and gave its name to the Sacatepéquez Department. Sacatepéquez and Antig ...
. Organizations such as
GoFundMe GoFundMe is an American for-profit crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for events ranging from life events such as celebrations and graduations to challenging circumstances like accidents and illnesses. From 2010 to the be ...
, , and The National Federation of Cooperatives are being used to raise physical and monetary donations to be dispersed to those affected by the eruption. GoFundMe created a centralized hub for all verified campaigns that are providing aid to those affected. Severely wounded individuals are scheduled to receive medical attention in the United States and Mexico, and an emergency medical team from
Shriners Hospitals for Children Shriners Children's is a network of non-profit medical facilities across North America. Children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-center ...
would travel from the United States.


Recovery

The Guatemalan Mountain Rescue Brigade were already searching for a missing person when they suddenly realized that the volcano's activity had increased. Firefighters have been deployed in order to help evacuate residents and recover bodies. Family members who grew tired of waiting for organized efforts by the government organized their own groups of recovery operations and defied police roadblocks to dig at the debris. A member of a firefighter support organization stated, "Basically there's no houses left, and to my assumption there's nobody left there... except the people doing the search and rescue." A volunteer firefighter added that the ground was very unstable and that breathing was difficult and firefighters' boot soles had been torn off because of the heat. Firefighters have stated that after 72 hours the chance of finding anyone alive would be nonexistent.


Controversy

On 7 June, opposition politician Mario Taracena, in an address to
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
, accused the executive secretary of the National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) of mismanaging the disaster warnings. The director of the National Institute for Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology also came under criticism for mismanagement and lack of warnings, a claim they refuted. Taracena also called for a government investigation into potential criminal negligence. A lawmaker told reporters that seismologists warned of the eruption eight hours before the main eruption, however, three hours later the national disaster agency CONRED called for voluntary evacuations only. Mandatory evacuations were ordered at 3pm local time, after some communities were already covered by volcanic flow.Volcán de Fuego de Guatemala: ¿era evitable la tragedia causada por la erupción?
Lioman Lima, BBC News. 6 June 2018 (in Spanish).


See also

*
List of large volcanic eruptions in the 21st century This is a list of volcanic eruptions in the 21st century with a Volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of 4 or higher, and smaller eruptions that resulted in fatalities, significant damage or disruptions. See also *List of volcanic eruptions 1500–1 ...
* List of large volcanic eruptions of the 20th century *
List of volcanic eruptions by death toll Volcanic eruptions can be highly explosive. Some volcanoes have undergone catastrophic eruptions, killing large numbers of humans or other life forms. This list documents volcanic eruptions by human death toll. Volcanic eruptions See also * ...


References

{{reflist 2018 in Guatemala 2018 natural disasters Fuego eruption Natural disasters in Guatemala June 2018 events in North America Fuego