Fuego volcano (Guatemala): largest eruption in 10 years

Fuego volcano in Guatemala had a major eruption on Saturday (19 May). The eruption was one of its largest in recent years since the start of near continuous activity in 2002.
The eruption was both explosive and effusive. According to news, the eruption began at 2:45 a.m. with large explosions and lava fountains possibly up to 1 km high from the summit crater. Large incandescent bombs were ejected to considerable distances and showered the summit cone of the volcano. A 500 m long lava flow traveled down on the SW flank towards the Ceniza ravine. The eruption also produced an ash column reaching 5 km (16,000 ft altitude) and pyroclastic flows probably generated mostly by cascading lava blocks traveling down the steep cone's flank into Las Lajas, El Jute y Ceniza valleys.
Ash fall was reported from nearby villages mainly to the S and SW including Morelia, Panimaché I and II, Sangre Cristo and Yepocapa.
The Guatemalan government has closed the airspace at a radius of 40 km around the volcano, but there were no reports of evacuations, although the volcano is being closely monitored.
The eruption decreased on Sunday, but still produced with intermittent smaller explosions producing ash clouds up to 700 m height.

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• Fuego in Guatemala has Largest Eruption in Years (Eruptions Blog)

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