Guatemala volcano covers nearby communities in ash, emits pyroclastic flows

Guatemala’s Santiaguito volcano has been emitting pyroclastic flows and ash plumes, affecting surrounding communities, reported the Guatemalan National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, and Hydrology (Insivumeh). 

"Weak and moderate avalanches of blocks and ash continue to be generated mainly on the west and southwest flanks. The volcano maintains a high activity due to the extrusion of lava in blocks in the dome of the hot dome, in a west-southwest direction, and due to the unstable material in the crater, there is a probability of moderate to strong pyroclastic flows, people should stay away from the beds of nearby rivers," said Insivumeh.

As a result, the states of Quetzaltenango, Retalhuleu, San Marcos, and Suchitepéquez have reported ash rain in the area since the weekend. Many of the streets and houses of the nearby communities were covered in a gray coat of dust. 

En las últimas horas han reportado la caída de ceniza en comunidades cercanas al volcán Santiaguito, ubicado en el departamento de Quetzaltenango.

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“The reason for these flows was an accumulation of more and more unstable hot lava material, resulting in a partial collapse of the lava dome and triggering hot block-and-ash flows over the southwestern flanks,” reported the website Volcano Discovery. “Ash plumes separated from pyroclastic density currents (so-called phoenix clouds) as they descended the slopes and reached 4,600 m altitude.”

Insivumeh recommends that people keep a five-kilometer radius from the volcano. The Guatemalan National Tourism Institute is also cautioning tourists and guides not to climb Santiaguito and other volcanoes nearby due to the increased activity.