29/05/2010 11:53
2 volcanoes erupt: 1 person killed; airport closed in Guatemala
Explosive eruptions shook two large volcanoes in Central and South America on Friday, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes, and even causing fatalities.
The Pacaya volcano, about 25 miles south of Guatemala City, began spewing lava and rocks on Thursday, killing a television reporter, Anibal Archila, and leaving three children missing; thousands were evacuated; the country's main international airport was closed.
In addition, strong explosions rocked the Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador. The National Geophysics Institute said that ash plumes soared six miles above the 16,479-foot crater. Sandro Vaca, a researcher at the institute, told Radio Sonorama that the eruption “seems to be growing rapidly,” but that there were no immediate reports of deaths.