Fuego volcano eruption ends, thousands return home in Guatemala

Fuego volcano Guatemala evacuation volcanic eruption ash hazards

The Fuego volcano, Central America's most active volcano, began erupting on Monday and intensified through the night, spewing lava, ash and large gas columns. After about 50 hours, the National Institute of Volcanology announced on Wednesday that the eruption had ceased and activity returned to normal levels. The eruption had forced the evacuation of more than 1,700 residents from villages on the volcano’s slopes; no injuries or structural damage were reported. Authorities, including Claudinne Ogaldes of the Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres, said it was now safe for evacuees to return, although around 600 people remained in shelters as a precaution. Officials warned that residual hazards such as ash fall, lahars and volcanic gases could still affect air traffic and local communities, urging continued vigilance and adherence to evacuation plans. Earlier intense activity had prompted the evacuation of over 350 people, highlighting the volcano’s ongoing threat to nearby settlements.

Entities: Claudinne Ogaldes · Conred · Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres · Guatemala · Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (Insiv · Instituto Nacional de Vulcanología · Volcano Fuego · Volcán de Fuego

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 3 SOURCES] Authorities had declared a maximum alert for zones near the volcano during the eruption. (Guatemalan authorities)
[● 3 SOURCES] No deaths or material damage were recorded during the eruption. (INSIVUMEH)
[● 3 SOURCES] The volcano entered eruption on Monday. (INSIVUMEH)
[● 3 SOURCES] INSIVUMEH declared that Volcano Fuego has returned to normal activity levels. (INSIVUMEH)
[DISPUTED] More than 1,700 people were evacuated from villages at the foot of Volcano Fuego. (INSIVUMEH / local authorities)
[DISPUTED] Approximately 1,696 people (440 families) were evacuated to five shelters, with 616 people (194 families) still in shelters at the time of reporting. (Claudinne Ogaldes, CONRED)
[● 4 SOURCES] The eruption of Volcano Fuego in Guatemala ended after about 50 hours of activity. (INSIVUMEH)
[● 3 SOURCES] Residual lava flows and ash dispersion remain a threat, prompting caution for air traffic. (INSIVUMEH)