Guatemala's Volcano of Fire endangers 30,000 people

San Jose, March 11: Guatemala's active Volcan de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) poses an imminent threat to at least 30,000 people, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) warned.

The agency's executive secretary, Claudinne Ogaldes, called on nearby residents in the departments of Sacatepequez, Chimaltenango and Escuintla on Monday to immediately evacuate their homes following eruptions in the past hours, Xinhua news agency reported.

The army and the National Civil Protection are coordinating safety measures in conjunction with the General Directorate of Protection and Security (Provial), said Ogaldes.

Some 282 families have already been evacuated to shelters in the town of San Juan Alotenango, in Sacatepequez, and a shelter has been prepared in Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla, she said.

According to a Conred newsletter, the volcano could spew "constant incandescent material during the night and early morning, as well as lava flows that can descend any ravine of the volcano."

If the activity continues, it said, officials expect plumes of ash and smoke to reach "heights of 6,000 meters above sea level" and fall on communities as far as "40 kilometres west, southwest and northwest" of the volcano, the agency warned.

"Constant (lava) avalanches can also be registered towards the different flanks of the volcano, which could cause pyroclastic flows causing greater amounts of ash at low altitude," it added.