Claudinne Ogaldes confirms evacuations in Guatemala as the Fuego volcano erupts and triggers a nationwide orange alert.
Claudinne Ogaldes, executive secretary of the Guatemalan disaster managing agency CONRED, confirmed that the Fuego volcano began erupting on Monday morning. The eruption has triggered a nationwide orange alert, the country's second-highest emergency level, as lava and pyroclastic flows of gas and ash moved down the volcano's slopes. Authorities have ordered the evacuation of two villages, El Porvenir and Las Lajitas, to protect approximately 250 people. The eruption has caused the closure of National Route 14 and the suspension of local school activities. Residents and visitors are urged to keep windows and doors closed to mitigate the spread of ash. Fuego is one of the most active volcanoes in the Western Hemisphere. Previous eruptions in 2018 and 2023 have caused significant damage, with the 2018 event allegedly killing over 200 people and devastating a nearby village. The government agency continues to monitor the situation as the volcano's explosiveness increases.