Guatemala orders evacuation as new flow descends volcano
After erupting on Sunday, the disaster caused by the Fuego volcano in Guatemala has left more than 100 people dead.
Guatemalan authorities on Friday ordered the immediate evacuation of rescue workers and residents due to a new pyroclastic flow that is descending from the Fuego volcano, which erupted last weekend leaving more than 100 people dead.
Guatemalan television networks have shown the thick clouds of sand, ash and smoke coming down the side of the volcano, located some 50 km (30 mi) west of the capital at the confluence of the provinces of Escuintla, Chimaltenango and Sacatepequez.
Residents, rescue workers and reporters near "ground zero" were evacuated as a preventive measure.
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The police said that roadblocks had been set up at the entrances of the town of El Rodeo, in Escuintla, to prevent people from approaching the volcano.
According to reporters on the scene, the new pyroclastic flow is following the same path as Sunday's flow.
Guatemala's National Institute for Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology warned that the pyroclastic flow is composed of toxic gases, large rocks and even tree trunks.
In its last report from 8 a.m. on Friday, Guatemala's Conred disaster management agency said that 109 people had died, 197 were missing, 58 were injured, 12,407 had been evacuated, 3,710 were living in shelters, and more than 1.7 million had been affected by last weekend's eruption.
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