Why is Guatemala's volcanic eruption so much deadlier than Hawaii's?

Both eruptions swallowed homes and reminded everyone how ferocious nature can be.

But there are huge differences between Guatemala's Fuego volcano eruption, which has killed 62 people since Sunday, and Hawaii's recent Kilauea eruption, which hasn't killed anyone but keeps slowly wreaking havoc one month later.

Kilauea's volcanic eruption, left, and Guatemala's Fuego eruption

Here's why these eruptions are so different -- and why they have drastically different death tolls:

Lava vs. pyroclastic flow
Kilauea's primary mode of destruction is lava, but Fuego has unleashed pyroclastic flow -- a nasty mix of ash, rock and volcanic gases that can be much more dangerous than lava.

In Guatemala, pyroclastic flow from Sunday's eruption topped 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (about 1,000 degrees Celsius), CNN meteorologist Ivan Cabrera said.

"This eruption at Fuego was explosive, sending hot debris down the steep sides of the volcano to make the pyroclastic flows," said Erik W. Klemetti, associate professor of geosciences at Denison University.

He said pyroclastic flows can tumble down a volcano at hundreds of kilometers per hour -- way faster than what people and even cars could outrun.

By contrast, Kilauea produces lava (or sticky, molten rock) that typically creeps along at maybe hundreds of meters per hour -- not nearly as fast as devastating pyroclastic flow.

Pyroclastic flows are not like lava. PFs are rapid avalanches of hot gas & rock ranging from ash-sized (like sand) to boulders, + anything they pick up (like trees & cars). PFs are devastating & deadly. #VolcanodeFuego https://t.co/tABdt7bm3V

— Dr Janine Krippner (@janinekrippner) June 4, 2018

Different communities
Kilauea is within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Lava has destroyed dozens of homes and other structures in communities outside the park boundaries.

But the Fuego volcano erupted near densely populated areas.

"Villages are right on the foothills of the mountain," Cabrera said. "So they had no time (to escape)."
That meant unsuspecting villagers -- such as those in the community of El Rodeo -- were suddenly overwhelmed by ash, lava fragments and gases speeding toward them at 435 mph (700 kph).

Different long-term effects
In both the Kilauea and Fuego areas, "the land will be unusable for years," Klemetti said.

But Guatemala faces a special danger that Hawaii doesn't.

"The bigger issue with pyroclastic flows is they can be turned into volcanic mudflows (lahars) when the loose debris mixes with rain/river waters," he said. "That is the new danger at Fuego right now."

(Source: CNN)

Guatemala volcano survivor says family buried in volcanian eruption

A woman who survived the Guatemala volcano eruption said she believes her family was buried in the disaster.

Volcan de Fuego, whose name means "Volcano of Fire", devastated three towns over the weekend in the Central American country, killing at least 25 people.

Consuelo Hernandez was filmed covered in ash as she walked down a road, fearful that her entire family had been buried by the eruption.

"Not everyone escaped. I think they were buried," she told the camera man.

When asked how she survived, she said: "Because we saw the lava pouring through the corn fields and we ran towards the hill."

The volcano suffered a vulcanian eruption - a violent and sudden volcanic blast which often throws large amounts of debris into the air and is accompanied by fast-moving lava flows.

Rescue agencies estimate that at least 300 people have been injured, with the blast raining ash down on the country's nearby capital of Guatemala City, forcing the international airport to close.

One video taken near the disaster showed dead bodies lying on top of the pyroclastic flow. Rescue workers have been searching for survivors and have evacuated more than 3,000 people from their homes.

The Fuego Volcano in eruption, seen from Alotenango municipality (AFP/Getty Images)

Sergio Cabañas, head of the country's National Disaster Management Agency (Conred), said his agency has been unable to reach one affected village due to the lava flow.

He told a local radio station: "Unfortunately El Rodeo was buried and we haven't been able to reach the La Libertad village because of the lava and maybe there are people that died there too."

Several children and workers from the Conred agency are among the dead, Mr Cabañas added.

Guatemala's president Jimmy Morales said he is considering declaring a state of emergency due to the disaster, with rescue agencies warning that heavy rains could cause mudslides in the coming days due to the eruption.

Eddy Sánchez, director of the National Institute for Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology of Guatemala, has warned the volcano is still in an active state, and has advised local people to stay off the roads.

Volcan de Fuego is one of the most active volcanos in Central America, with the recent eruption being the largest it has experienced since 1974.

(Source: Independent)

Fuego volcano erupts in Guatemala, killing 25 and injuring hundreds

President considers declaring state of emergency in region as smoke and ash forces closure of capital’s La Aurora airport

At least 25 people, including three children, have been killed and nearly 300 injured on Sunday in the most violent eruption of Guatemala’s Fuego volcano in more than four decades, officials said.

Fuego volcano, whose name means “fire” in English, spewed an 8km (five-mile) stream of lava and belched a thick plume of black smoke and ash that rained onto the capital and other regions.

Sergio Cabanas, the general secretary of Guatemala’s Conred disaster agency, said on the radio: “It’s a river of lava that overflowed its banks and affected the Rodeo village. There are injured, burned and dead people.”

Mario Cruz, spokesman for the volunteer firefighter corps, said: “We have seven confirmed dead, four adults and three kids, who were already taken to the morgue.” He added that 3,100 people had evacuated the area so far. The disaster agency later updated the death toll to 25.

President Jimmy Morales said he had convened his ministers and was considering declaring a state of emergency in the departments of Chimaltenango, Escuintla and Sacatepequez.

It is the second time the volcano has erupted this year, setting off loud explosions and spewing ash into the sky. Soot blanketed cars and houses in the nearby villages of San Pedro Yepocapa and Sangre de Cristo.

A policeman carries an elderly evacuee in Alotenango, 55 km southwest of Guatemala City Photograph: Orlando Estrada/AFP/Getty Images

Lesser amounts of ash fell on Guatemala City, which is 44km (27 miles) from the volcano. The capital’s La Aurora international airport to shut down its only runway.

Volcán de Fuego y sus erupciones... pic.twitter.com/6T9TxQ6hOo

— Guía espiritual. (@renato_lechuga) June 3, 2018

Workers and guests were evacuated from the La Reunion golf club. A video circulating on social media showed a black cloud of ash rising from just beyond the golf club.

The huge plumes of smoke that could be seen from various parts of the country and the ash that rained down in four of Guatemala’s departments caused some alarm among residents.

Officials asked residents to remain calm. “It is important to remain calm because the Fuego volcano erupts throughout the year,” said David de Leon, spokesman for the National Disaster Prevention Authority.

De Leon said a change in wind was to blame for the volcanic ash falling on parts of the city.

Eddy Sanchez, the director of Guatemala’s seismological, volcanic and meteorological institute, warned of the danger of mud flows, saying: “Temperatures in the pyroclastic flow can exceed 700 degrees [Celsius] and volcanic ash can rain down on a 15km (9.32-mile) radius. That could cause more mud flows and nearby rivers to burst their banks.”

(Source: The Guardian)