A volcanic eruption in Guatemala forces the authorities to close the country’s largest airport

One of Central America’s most active volcanoes has erupted again, spewing lava and ash and forcing authorities in Guatemala City on Sunday to shut down the country’s largest airport and a highway.

The volcano, which bears the name Fuego, which means fire in Spanish, returned to activity Saturday night, molten rock flowing down its slopes and spewing ash into the sky. The winds also carried the ash towards Guatemala City, 35 kilometers away.

And the Civil Aviation Authority announced, in a statement, the temporary closure of the “La Aurora” international airport, which is located 6 km south of the capital, in the morning, after ash was detected near the runways and at least two flights were diverted.

Authorities also closed a highway linking southern and central Guatemala as a precaution, according to a traffic police spokesman.

The volcano is located about 16 kilometers from Antigua, the former capital of the country, which is one of the most important tourist attractions in Guatemala.

The Fuego volcano erupts at a rate of once every 4 to 5 years, and in 2018 its eruption destroyed the village of San Miguel los Lotes, into which rivers of lava flowed, killing 215 people and losing the same number.

Civil Defense spokesman Rodolfo Garcia said authorities were closely watching the latest eruption and so far no one had been evacuated.

Two other volcanoes are active in Guatemala, Santiagoto in the west of the country and Basaya in the south.