2018 Fuego Volcano Eruption, Guatemala

Depiction of the size and direction of the pyroclastic flow caused by the eruption of the Fuego Volcano. 

 On Sunday, June 3rd, 2018, the Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupted becoming the most violent volcano in the country in more than a century. The eruption lasted for 16 hours, spewing volcanic ash, mud, and rocks burying villages along the slope of the volcano. Fast-moving pyroclastic flows hit multiple villages and killed more than 62 people. The head of the country’s Natural Disaster Management Agency said the entire town of El Rodeo had been completely buried. Temporary shelters were set up for the regions almost 3000 residents who were evacuated. Ash spewed nearly 4 miles into the air it is also estimated that The eruption spread more than 10 km down slope of the volcano crater. Villages, coffee farms, and a golfer sort of fell victim to the pyroclastic flow‘s of hard to assemble can a crock. It is estimated that the landslide travel between speed of 30 mph to 90 mph and up to 1300°F. The airport was also shut down because of the large amount of ash in the atmosphere. Ash the volcano was also found about 27 miles west in the capital, Guatemala City. 

This video shows images and accounts of the volcanic explosion. They interview people who were impacted by the volcano and its impact on the region. 

There were many prevention methods that Guatemala’s government could have put in place that could have lessen the impact of the volcanic eruption. Blindspots in forecasting the volcanoes irruption may have been created because of two main problems. First, the Fuego volcano has been constantly active throughout the years. In 2015, the volcano caused a small evacuation of 100 people, and it also erupted  for 20 hours in January before the devastating eruption in June 2018. This high level of activity makes it difficult to predict when larger, more violent explosions are going to occur. The second blindspot in forecasting the volcano’s eruption occurred because there was only one seismometer on the volcano. They had a very basic monitoring system, whereas other volcano monitoring sites use a combination of seismometers, gas meters, and pressure sensors to predict volcanic eruptions.

Citations

Akpan, Nsikan. “What Made Guatemala's Fuego Volcano Eruption so Deadly?” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 4 June 2018, www.pbs.org/newshour/science/what-made-guatemalas-fuego-volcano-eruption-so-deadly. 

“Guatemala Volcano: Dozens Die as Fuego Volcano Erupts.” BBC News, BBC, 4 June 2018, www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44350974. 

Lakhani, Nina. “Guatemala Volcano: at Least 62 Killed and 300 Injured after Fuego Erupts.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 4 June 2018, www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/04/guatemala-fuego-volcano-erupts-dead-missing. 

Neuman, Scott, and Colin Dwyer. “'Everything Is A Disaster': Guatemala's Fuego Volcano Erupts, Killing At Least 69.” NPR, NPR, 4 June 2018, www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/06/04/616715243/at-least-25-people-killed-in-guatemala-volcano-eruption. 

Wallace, Tim. “The Guatemala Volcano Eruption: Before and After a Deadly Pyroclastic Flow.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 7 June 2018, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/06/07/world/americas/guatemala-volcano-eruption.html.