The communities surrounding the Fuego volcano in Guatemala should never have been built.
The Fuego volcano in Guatemala, erupted on Sunday, June 3rd. The explosion caused large pyroclastic flows at high speeds that buried several communities, leaving at least 75 dead and over 200 people missing.
The deadly path
Pyroclastic flows can topple structures and can kill any living thing in their path. In the case of the Guatemalan volcano, studies indicate that this deadly effect occurs every 4 decades from eruptions.
In 2001, the United States Geological Society (USGS) published a study of the hazardous zones around the Fuego volcano. They published several maps indicating how many of the surrounding communities were in danger of lahars (flows of volcanic material mixed with water) and pyroclastic flows.
The volcano erupted once again, two days after the original explosion of June 3rd. Authorities have evacuated several zones of the Escuintla department, in case of further pyroclastic flows moving south.
