Seven Killed and Hundreds Injured by Erupting Volcano in Guatemala

Guatemala’s Fuego volcano has killed at least seven people and nearly injured 300 others on Sunday as ash and black smoke have filled the sky of the Central American nation following a devastating eruption. It is the most violent eruption in more than four decades.
Guatemala’s Volcan de Fuego, Spanish for “volcano of fire,” exploded shortly before noon. Hours later, around 4 p.m., lava began flowing down the side of the mountain. Eddy Sanchez, director of the country’s seismology and volcanology institute, said the flows reached temperatures of about 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit (700 Celsius). The volcano spewed an 8km (five-mile) stream of lava and belched a thick plume of black smoke and ash that rained onto the capital and other regions.
Hundreds of rescue workers, including firefighters, police and soldiers worked to recover bodies from the still-smoking lava.
Aviation authorities have announced to close the capital’s international airport because of the danger posed to planes by the ash.
The general secretary of Guatemala’s Conred disaster agency,Sergio Cabanas said on the radio: “It’s a river of lava that overflowed its banks and affected the Rodeo village. There are injured, burned and dead people.”
Mario Cruz, spokesman for the volunteer firefighter corps, said: “We have seven confirmed dead, four adults and three kids, who were already taken to the morgue.” He also stated that 3,100 people had evacuated the area so far.
> Shiuly Rina