The Fuego Volcano Hits Guatemala Hard: A Rush of Ash, Family Losses, and a Bit of Humor
The Big Picture: Numbers That Rock
Rescue Workers Finding Bodies
Rescue teams combed the southern slopes of Fuego, pulling bodies from dust‑filled ruins.
The first toll was 25, but as workers recovered more victims, the death count climbed to 65—proof that the volcano didn’t spare the missing.
An AFP reporter found three burned bodies in San Miguel Los Lotes, surrounded by smashed chickens, ducks, and even a few heartbreakingly‑spoiled dogs—making it a scene that’s hard to picture but no less tragic.
“I can’t leave, but I need to go back,” a tear‑streaked Eufemia Garcia said. “I tried saving my kids, mother, nephews, but nothing was left.”She escaped thanks to her husband, but her heart‑rich family picture is still incomplete.
The Human Stories
The President’s Visit and National Mourning
President Jimmy Morales declared three days of national mourning and personally visited the disaster zones.
“The volcano has erupted before,” he remarked, “but never like this.”He and the survivors were moved by the scale of the damage, from ash‑blackened streets to the shutdown of Guatemala City’s international airport.
A Quick Dive Into Why Fuego Is So Fast
Volcanologist David Rothery explained that the eruption produced pyroclastic flows—fast, thick, deadly streams of hot rock fragments and gas that can travel over 100 km/h.
Unlike ordinary lava, these flows can engulf entire villages in seconds, leaving no time to evacuate.
“It’s almost like a runaway glacier of hot rock,” Rothery quipped.“We’re staring at a violent cascade that’s far more deadly than the usual lava river.”
Bottom Line
Fuego’s eruption burst the community’s routine life into dust, deepened grief across families, and demonstrated the unforgiving power of volcanic activity.
While rescue teams continue searching, the sharp rise in casualties underscores the volcano’s speed and brutality.
