Guatemala’s international airport was closed because of volcano

The eruption of the Fuego volcano in Guatemala led today to the temporary closure of the country’s main airport, announced the authorities, which so far have not given orders for the evacuation of that airport structure.

According to civil aviation authorities, the international airport La Aurora was closed for three hours this morning due to the presence of volcanic ash on the runway, and forced the detour of at least two planes.

The Fuego volcano, considered the most active volcano in Central America and located 35 kilometers from the Guatemalan capital, erupted on Saturday with explosions, lava and the release of a column of ash more than two kilometers above the summit.

Quoted by Agence France-Presse, civil protection authorities indicated that they have not yet ordered any precautionary evacuations of localities.

In 2018, an eruption of the Fuego volcano killed 215 people and left a similar number missing in nearby rural communities.

Two other volcanoes are also active in Guatemala: Santiaguito, in the west of the country, and Pacaya, 20 kilometers south of the capital.