Snapshot 3:Fri, Jun 6, 2025 7:49:33 PM GMT last edited by JoseMoura

Hundreds Evacuated in Guatemala as Fuego Volcano Erupts

GuatemalaHundreds EvacuatesEvacuated Hundredsin Guatemala as Fuego Volcano Erupts

Published JUN 6 2025

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Above: Security forces restrict access to National Route 14 in the department of Sacatepequez to prevent public and private vehicles from traveling through the area after Fuego Volcano erupts in Guatemala City, Guatemala on June 05, 2025. Image credit: *** GETTY *** Luis Vargas/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images

The Spin

HistoricalThe patternsswift showevacuation thatresponse volcanicdemonstrates eruptionsthat in Guatemala disproportionatelyhas affectimproved poor,its indigenousdisaster communitiespreparedness whofollowing lackthe resourcestragic to2018 relocateeruption permanentlythat fromkilled dangerousover areas200 people. TheAuthorities recurringare evacuationsacting highlightdecisively howto povertymove andresidents inequalityto makesafety ruralbefore populationsconditions particularlyworsens. vulnerableThe tocoordinated naturaleffort disasters.between ColonialCONRED legacies and centurieslocal ofofficials marginalizationshows continuelessons tolearned exacerbatefrom thesepast volcanic tragediesdisasters have strengthened emergency protocols.

Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery

Historical patterns show that volcanic eruptions in Guatemala disproportionately affect poor, indigenous communities who lack resources to relocate permanently from dangerous areas. The recurring evacuations highlight how poverty and inequality make rural populations particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. Colonial legacies and centuries of marginalization continue to exacerbate these volcanic tragedies.

The Conversation