The Pacaya volcano in Guatemala, here on July 25, 2020, is experiencing a sharp increase in its activity.
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Moises Castillo / AP / SIPA
Guatemalan air authorities on Tuesday suspended flights to and from Guatemala's international airport due to ash blown by the wind from the Pacaya volcano, which has been in strong eruptive activity for a month.
“Due to the change in direction of the wind from south to north and the increase in volcanic activity in Pacaya, volcanic ash is present at La Aurora airport in Guatemala.
For security concerns, operations have been suspended, ”the head of the Civil Aviation Directorate (DGAC), Francis Argueta, said on Twitter.
About thirty active volcanoes
The DGAC did not specify either the number of suspended flights or the number of passengers affected.
The 2,552-meter-high volcano, located about 25 km south of Guatemala City, has been spitting for more than a month large lava flows interspersed with explosions that form columns of ash falling in the wind. .
Civil protection has indicated that it is maintaining its surveillance of the villages located on the slopes of the volcano where most of the ash rains fall.
No massive evacuation order has yet been considered.
Pacaya National Park, a major tourist attraction in the country where the volcano is located, is however closed to the public.
The Pacaya volcano experienced a major eruption on May 27, 2010 which caused the death of a journalist who came to cover the event.
Not far away are the volcanoes Fuego (southwest) and Santiaguito (west) also active.
Guatemala has about thirty volcanoes.
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