Volcan de Fuego

Volcan de Fuego Latest News

Tourists on Guatemala’s Volcan de Fuego were caught off guard when the volcano erupted recently, and burning rocks began to rain down, forcing them to scramble down the slopes.

About Volcan de Fuego

• Volcan de Fuego, which translates to “Volcano of Fire” in Spanish, is an active volcano located in Guatemala.
• It is a relatively young basaltic stratovolcano. 
• It is one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala’s former capital, Antigua.
• Nestled between the neighboring volcanoes of Acatenango and Agua, it rises dramatically to an altitude of 3,763 meters (12,346 feet) above sea level.
• It forms part of the Central American Volcanic Arc, a chain of volcanoes stretching from Guatemala to Panama. 
• Guatemala lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
• It lies on the boundary between the Cocos Plate and the Caribbean Plate. 
• Fuego has what scientists call an “open-vent system.” 
  • This means the volcano keeps a clear pathway for gas and magma to escape.
  • Because of this open vent, it releases pressure through smaller, more frequent eruptions.  
  • The Fuego is known for its vulcanian activity, occasionally accompanied by pyroclastic flows. 
• It is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America and has erupted more than 60 times in the last 500 years.  
• A deadly eruption in 2018 claimed 194 lives and left 234 people missing.
• Since then Volcan Fuego has continued to be active, but to a lesser extent, with small eruptions several times a day.
• Typical activity is characterized by ashfall, pyroclastic flows, lava flows, and lahars.

News: NDTV

‹ ›