Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupts, forcing 33,000 to evacuate

September 14, 2012 – GUATEMALA - A long-simmering volcano outside one of the Guatemala’s most famous tourist attractions exploded into a series of powerful eruptions Thursday, hurling thick clouds of ash nearly two miles (three kilometers) high, spewing rivers of lava down its flanks and forcing the evacuation of more than 33,000 people from surrounding communities. Guatemala’s head of emergency evacuations, Sergio Cabanas, said the evacuees were leaving some 17 villages around the Volcan del Fuego, which sits about six miles southwest (16 kilometers) from the colonial city of Antigua. The ash was blowing south and authorities said Antigua was not currently in danger, although they expected the eruption to last for at least 12 more hours. The agency said the volcano spewed lava nearly 2,000 feet (600 meters) down slopes billowing with ash around Acatenango, a 12,346-foot-high (3,763-meter-high) volcano whose name translates as “Volcano of Fire.” A paroxysm of an eruption is taking place, a great volcanic eruption, with strong explosions and columns of ash, said Gustavo Chicna, a volcanologist with the National Institute of Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology. He said the cinders spewing from the volcano were settling a half-inch thick in many places. He said extremely hot gases were also rolling down the sides of the volcano, which was entirely wreathed in ash and smoke. The emergency agency warned that flights through the area could be affected. There was a general orange alert, the second-highest level, but a red alert south and southeast of the mountain, where, Chicna said, “it’s almost in total darkness.” Teresa Marroquin, disaster coordinator for the Guatemalan Red Cross, said the organization had set up 10 emergency shelters and was sending hygiene kits and water. “There are lots of respiratory problems and eye problems,” she said. –CSM

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Guatemala’s Fuego Volcano Lets Off Some Steam.

Posted Chaos Sweeps Away the World We Know!

June 12, 2012 – Guatemala’s Fuego Volcano Lets Off Some Steam: Volcán Fuego, one of Central America’s most active volcanoes, is one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala’s former capital, Antigua. At 12,343 feet (3,763 meters) it is an imposing figure (pictured below). The Fuego Volcano is located in the central southern region of Guatemala. Fuego andAcatenango are two of several paired volcanoes in Guatemala.

Maybe because of its violent history, Guatemala’s Fuego volcano is being closely monitored Monday by experts since it is increasing its activity for the third time this year. According to National Institute for Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology of Guatemala (INSIVUMEH), the 3,763-meter above sea level volcano is on an effusive (gushing) eruption phase. Because of the dangerous conditions, INSIVUMEH warns about the possibilities of an increase in volcanic activity, last seen on May 19th and the 25th.

The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conrad) was forced to declare an orange alert, which is one notch below the highest level (red). (Credits – Pictures – Instituto Nacional de Sismologia, Vulcanologia, Meteorologia e Hidrologia (INSIVUMEH), Narrative – RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service, The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and W. G. Foster).

The Master of Disaster

Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupts for the second time in 2012

Posted By The Extinction Protocol: 2012 and beyond

June 11 2012 – GUATEMALA – The Fuego volcano, located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of this capital, on Sunday spewed a column of ash up to a kilometer (about 3,300 feet) high, a government agency reported. The National Vulcanology Institute said in a communiqué that the volcano, which rises 3,763 meters (12,230 feet) above sea level, on Sunday erupted effusively, according to seismic recordings and the images received from a camera at the observatory at Panimache. The volcano’s activity presently consists of emissions of red hot lava being hurled from the crater to a height of some 500 meters (1,625 feet), the agency said. The institute went on to say that three rivers of lava were emerging from the crater and moving down the sides of the mountain. In addition, two emissions of ash rising from 800 to 1,000 meters (about 2,600 feet to 3,300 feet) were blowing southeast. The vulcanology institute warned that although the eruption presently consists of an effusion of lava, the possibility exists that in the coming hours the volcano’s activity will increase to a pyroclastic flow of the kind experienced on May 19 and May 25. A pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of superheated gas, which can reach temperatures of about 1,000 C (1,830 F), and rock, which reaches speeds moving away from a volcano of up to 700 km/h (450 mph). The flow normally hugs the ground and travels downhill, or spreads laterally under gravity, and is quite devastating to virtually anything in its path. The agency recommended to the Conred disaster organization to maintain an orange preventive alert near the mountain until the volcanic activity lessens. Civilian air traffic is being warned to take precautions because the ash cloud extends up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the volcano. The Fuego volcano, whose name in the Kakchikel Indian language is “Chi Cag” (where the fire is), is one of the most impressive fire mountains in Central America and has been in a constant state of activity. So far, civil protection authorities do not think that the eruption represents a danger for nearby towns, but it is recommending that residents in the region be on alert to take whatever measures Conred may announce.  –Fox Latino

Guatemala’s Santiaguito and Fuego volcanoes rain down ash on nearby villages

Posted by The Extinction Protocol: 2012 and beyond

June 2, 2012 – GUATEMALA – Santiaguito volcano, (also known as Santa Maria) which has been in constant activity in recent days, erupted on Friday, ejecting columns of ash that reached 200 thousand meters high and covering much of the city of Quetzaltenango, the country’s east. This was reported by the local media on Friday, which quoted the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology, stated that “Santiaguito volcano activity remains weak though with moderate explosions.” The institute’s report also said that in view of the wind shifts from south to north, favored the “fall of ash particles on the city of Quetzaltenango and its surroundings, causing some alarm. The ash fell on cars and roofs of houses and streets were light gray,” it said. Given the activity of the crater, the state National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conrad) recommended that people “take necessary precautions to consider” whether to continue the activity of Santiaguito. This crater is located 206 km west of the capital and two thousand 500 meters high. Another active volcano in Guatemala is Fuego, the Fire, three thousand 763 meters high, which last week released ash on several nearby villages. Last week, the Conrad issued a warning orange-red pre-and recommended to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to take precautions to air traffic. In turn, also asked to avoid flying near the fire, between the departments of Escuintla, Sacatepequez and Chimaltenango. –Telsurtv  (translated)