Monday, February 9, 2015

Eruption at Fuego volcano

An active volcano, Fuego, has been in the news because of its eruption yesterday.

Here is an NBC News (though I can't get the video to play here). And a BBC News report, and a similar report from CNN. We have friends in Antigua, a town nearby, who said there is a lot of ash falling all over. 

There are some spectacular photos when I googled "guatemala fuego eruption images". 

We got this email from the US Embassy.  
United States Embassy, Guatemala Security Message for U.S. Citizens:  Volcanic eruptions at Fuego close airport and raise alert level to Orange
February 7, 2015
Due to increased volcanic activity at Fuego Volcano, CONRED (the Guatemalan government agency responsible for monitoring volcanic activity), has raised Guatemala’s alert status to ORANGE for the entire country. Eruptive activity at Fuego increased during the afternoon today, February 7th. CONRED reports pyroclastic flows including high temperature emissions of moderate and strong force, with significant ash falling in SacatepĂ©quez, Guatemala, Escuintla and Chimaltenango departments. The eruption, which began this morning, has intensified in the last hours, according to the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology - INSIVUMEH. In addition, PROATUR, the Guatemalan tourist assistance program, has informed us that due to the eruption, La Aurora international airport has closed its operations until further notice.
As noted, the airport has been closed "for the time being".  We are supposed to fly to Mexico next Saturday, so we're hopeful it will be open as usual this weekend! Uh oh... I just found this that said the airport is expected to be open by Sunday! Our flight is Saturday! Let's hope they beat the expectation...

We have three volcanos around Lake Atitlan, where we live, but they are not active. The volcano Fuego can be seen from when we're halfway across the lake, though, and sometimes with puffs of smoke. Of course, now it's more than a little puff.  

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