Guatemala volcano eruption eases off, but alert remains in place

Activity at Guatemala's Fuego volcano died down slightly on Wednesday, after a powerful eruption of lava and ash forced hundreds of people to flee their homes.

Burning debris flowing from Central America's most active volcano continued to pose a threat to civilians despite the lull, experts and emergency services warned.

Fuego, located 35 kilometers (22 miles) away from Guatemala City, erupted on Monday morning, with conditions intensifying by nightfall and running into Tuesday.

Lava spewed down its slopes while plumes of ash rose up to six kilometers high into the red sky, pushing authorities to issue the most severe danger warning and evacuating over 1,700 locals.

"Eruptive activity is expected to gradually diminish" on Wednesday, the Institute of Volcanology reported.

But, the institute warned, sudden flows of scorching material that accumulated during the eruption "cannot be ruled out."

A rush of this kind poses the gravest threat to communities located on Fuego's southwestern flank, it added.

Hundreds of local residents sought refuge in Escuintla, to the south of Fuego.

From the small city, the volcano appeared calm and emitted only faint whispers of gas and ash, an AFP journalist observed.

Some evacuees had begun returning to their homes voluntarily, Conred emergency services spokesperson Valeria Urizar told reporters.

The most severe danger alert remained active in the Escuintla, Sacatepequez, and Chimaltenango departments adjacent to the crater, she said.

Guatemala lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

There have been several mass evacuations in recent years because Fuego erupted.

Authorities evacuated more than 500 people last year after Fuego spewed gas and ash, while another eruption in 2023 pushed around 1,200 people to flee.

In 2018, 215 people were killed and a similar number left missing when rivers of lava poured down Fuego's slopes and destroyed a village.