VOLCANO DE FUEGO ERUPTS IN GUATEMALA, EVACUATIONS ORDERED

GUATEMALA, AUGUST 4 /SRNA/ - The most active volcano in Central America, Volcano de Fuego, has erupted, prompting Guatemalan authorities to issue the second-highest level of alert and evacuate nearby villages.

The volcano, also known as Chi Kak, located around 16 kilometres west of the Guatemalan city of Antigua, erupted yesterday morning and increased in intensity as the day progressed. The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction /CONRED/ warned that volcanic ash could spread up to 100 kilometres.

Seismic and volcanic activity is common in Guatemala because the country lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," and a previous eruption of this volcano in 2023 led to the evacuation of around 1,200 people.