The eruption of the Fuego volcano in Guatemala ended on Wednesday after 50 hours, the National Institute of Volcanology announced in a statement on Wednesday, August 5. The volcano, considered the most active in Central America, woke up on Monday and prompted the evacuation of more than 1,700 people from villages at its foot in recent days.
Guatemalan authorities triggered a red alert on Tuesday, the highest level, in areas affected by the eruption. The volcano, which reaches an altitude of 3,763 meters and is located 35 kilometers from the capital, Guatemala City, spewed lava along with huge plumes of gas and ash.
Volcanic threats and past eruptions
Experts from the National Institute stated that Fuego, which means fire in Spanish, returned to normal activity levels on Wednesday. However, threats remain such as flows of volcanic materials and ash dispersion, leading the institute to call for precautions for air traffic.
Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Guatemala experiences significant seismic and volcanic activity. Last year, more than 500 people were evacuated following gas and ash emissions from Fuego, while an eruption in 2023 required the temporary displacement of about 1,200 people. In 2018, 215 people died and about 200 others were reported missing in lava flows that devastated a village on the volcano's slopes.
