Explosive eruptions have shaken two volcanos in Ecuador and Guatemala forcing thousands of local residents to flee and the closure of airports. In Guatemala, the Pacaya volcano erupted on Thursday afternoon, covering the country's capital with ash and closing its international airport and in Ecuador, massive explosions shook the Tungurahua volcano, prompting the evacuation of nearby villagers.
Ecuador's National Geophysics Institute has reported that volcanic material blasted down the volcanos and ash soared as much as six miles above a crater that is already 16,479 feet above sea level. Winds blew ash over the country's most populated city, Guayaquil, and led the aviation authorites to cancel flights out of the Pacific port and from Quito to Lima, Peru.
The ash generated by both volcanos is different in each case - the ash billowing from Pacaya in Guatemala is thick and black and falls quickly to the ground, whereas the ash cloud caused by the eruption In Ecuador, has drifted out over the Pacific Ocean and is reported to be fading away
In Guatemala City, bulldozers have been scraping the streets while residents used shovels to clean cars and roofs as the blanket of ash was as much as 3 inches thick in some parts of the town. The capital's La Aurora airport would be closed at least until Saturday with flights being diverted to Mundo Maya airport in northern Guatemala and Comalapa in El Salvador.
In an unfortunate incident, a tv reporter was killed while reporting on the volcanic activity in Guatemala. Anibal Archila, was reporting on the local Channel 7 news broadcast and was standing too close to the volcano when he was hit with a shower of burning rocks.
