More Than 60 Dead in Guatemala Following Volcanic Explosion

 

Rescue workers pulled at least 10 people alive from ash and mud flows around Guatemala’s Volcan de Fuego on Monday.

The country’s national disaster agency reported at least 62 people have died since the volcano exploded Sunday. Officials say the number is expected to rise.

Volcan de Fuego means Volcano of Fire in English. It is one of several active volcanoes in Guatamala. It sits 44 kilometers west of Guatemala City, the country’s capital.

The volcano sits close to Antigua, a former capital during Spanish colonial¹ rule. The United Nations has recognized the town as a UNESCO world heritage² site.

Ash fell Sunday on Guatemala City as well as nearby areas. Streets and houses in Antigua were also covered.

The explosion sent a huge cloud of ash several kilometers into the air. Extremely hot flows of ash mixed with water and debris³, blocking some roads and burning homes.

The land left behind was still too hot to touch or to recover bodies from many places. In some areas, rescue workers’ shoes even melted.

Hilda Lopez said the volcanic⁴ mud flowed into her village of San Miguel Los Lotes, close to the mountain. Lopez said she still does not know where her mother or sister are.

“We were at a party, celebrating the birth of a baby, when one of the Lopez remembered. “We didn’t believe it, and when we went out the hot mud was already coming down the street.”

“My mother was stuck there, she couldn’t get out,” said Lopez, crying and holding her face in her hands.

In the village of El Rodeo, people said they did not learn of the danger until it was too late. Some were critical of government officials.

Rafael Letran, who lives in El Rodeo, said the disaster agency “never told us to leave. When the lava⁵ was already here they passed by in their pickup⁶ trucks telling...us to leave, but the cars did not stop to pick people up.”

The disaster agency said more than 3,200 people had left affected⁷ areas.

Volcan de Fuego is one of Central America’s most active volcanoes. The very top of it reaches a height of 3,763 meters above sea level.

The eruption⁸ on Sunday was the volcano’s most powerful explosion in more than 40 years.

Words in This Story

mud - n. soft, wet dirt

heritage - n. ?the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation — usually singular

site - n. the place where something (such as a building) is, was, or will be located

debris - n. ?the pieces that are left after something has been destroyed?

lava - n. ?melted rock from a volcano?to send out rocks, ash, lava, etc., in a sudden explosion?

eruption - n. a violent volcanic explosion that sends out rocks, ash, lava, etc.

1 colonial   

adj.殖民地的，关于殖民的；n.殖民地，居民

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• The people of Africa have successfully fought against colonial rule.非洲人民成功地反抗了殖民统治。

2 heritage   

n.传统，遗产，继承物

参考例句：

• The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
• We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。

3 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

4 volcanic   

adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的

参考例句：

• There have been several volcanic eruptions this year.今年火山爆发了好几次。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

5 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

6 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。