Authorities in Guatemala have evacuated some 4,000 people after the eruption of the Fuego volcano south-east of the capital for the fifth time this year, the ash and lava naphtha.
The volcano is located 35 kilometers south-east of the capital, Guatemala, at a height of 3,763 meters. On June 3, El Fuego lava fell on the town of San Miguel Los Los Lutes and completely destroyed it, leaving 194 dead and 234 missing.
The last time the volcano erupted from November 6 to 9 with no casualties or damage, but experts expressed concern about the renewed activity of the volcano on Sunday after the rise of smoke and the dumping of ash and lava.
"The authorities have decided to evacuate residents of Escuintla and other neighborhoods," spokesman David de Leon told reporters. In effect, the authorities transferred some 4,000 people to shelters in a precautionary measure.
Tents were set up at the sports stadium in Escuintla to host the displaced.
A column of ash rises 1,000 meters above the volcano's crater, and a barrage of gas ash and fireworks rocks the areas west of the volcano.
The director of the State Volcanology Institute Pablo Oliva said the volcano is expected to remain at a "very high to very high" activity level, but could not say when it could calm down.
Many of the evacuees said Monday they feared a repeat of the June bloody eruption. "We were afraid and that's why we were evacuated," said Miriam Garcia of the village of El Rodeo, where she escaped.
Experts are closely monitoring two other active volcanoes, Bayaka (20 km south of Guatemala) and Santiagieto (117 km west), which have recently seen renewed activity without eruption.
