Nearly 200 missing, 75 killed in Guatemala volcano eruption

IANS  |  Guatemala City 

At least 192 people have been reported missing after the eruption of the highly active in and the death toll has reached 75, said authorities.

Sergio Cabanas, of the National Coordination for Disaster Reduction of (CONRED), said the number of injuries remains at 46, while 1.7 million people have been affected. At least 3,271 people have been displaced and 2,625 relocated to temporary shelters.

The eruption has destroyed a bridge and affected two and International Airport in City, which resumed operations on Monday.

erupted around noon on Sunday and lava began flowing down in the afternoon. According to CONRED, the eruption is "the strongest one recorded in recent years".

A state of disaster has been declared for the southern departments of Escuintla, Sacatepequez and Chimaltenango, which suffered the most in the disaster.

"The conditions are critical in the areas near Fuego volcano," said Eddy Sanchez, of the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology,

According to Sanchez, Sunday's eruption is the most violent explosion of since 1974. At its fiercest, the volcano could spray ash all the way to Guatemala's southern neighbours and

--IANS

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First Published: Wed, June 06 2018. 11:36 IST