The eruptive activity of Fuego, in Guatemala, has intensified in recent days. Long pyroclastic flows formed on its southwest flank, reminiscent of the disaster of June 3, 2018 on this volcano, which had claimed 200 victims and as many missing. Three hundred and seventy people were evacuated.
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In Guatemala, the Fuego volcano has been in permanent eruption since 2002, with explosions strombolian at the level of the summit which form plumes of ash several hundred meters high several times per hour. But this activity is variable and sometimes intensifies…
Strombolian explosions at the top of Fuego and lava flow to the southwest, on the night of March 6 to 7, 2022. © Diego Rizzo Photo
Important pyroclastic flows
On March 5, the overflow of lava at the crater caused a lava flow on the southwestern flank of the volcano, followed the following evening by an intensification of explosive activity, the explosions becoming stronger and closer together with the weather. On the morning of March 7, the local volcanologists thus described almost continuous explosions at the top of the volcano and two lava flows: the old one, 400 meters long now, and a new one to the northwest, 300 meters long.
But the sides of this volcano being particularly steep, the lava flows there are unstable. And if the crumbling of the flow front generates avalanches, when larger pieces break off, this forms pyroclastic flows which spread widely speed in the ravines where these lava flows flow. A number of these clouds of gas and ashes were observed, mainly in the Ceniza ravine to the southwest of the volcano, and sometimes with a substantial magnitude: the most important pyroclastic flows reached seven kilometers in length!
Development of a long pyroclastic flow on March 7, 2022 (from 12 s). © Insivumeh Guatemala
This distance corresponds approximately to that of the closest dwellings to the crater, which is why evacuations took place in two villages southwest of the volcano.
The usual Strombolian activity at Fuego. © Sylvain Chermette, 80 Days Travels
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