Survivors of Guatemala’s erupting Fuego volcano began mourning the few dead who could be identified Tuesday after a cascade of lava, gas and rock fragments killed at least 69 people and covered nearby villages in thick layers of ash and mud.
Local television footage showed mourners walking through the streets, caskets hoisted on their shoulders.
As rescue workers continued the search for survivors, authorities increased the death toll as more bodies were pulled from the debris around the hardest hit villages. They say the number of casualties is expected to rise further.
Disaster officials said the eruption Sunday affected more than one million people, with 3,265 evacuated from areas around the volcano and 20 injured people taken to health centers.
Crews are assisting people in Escuintla, Sacatepéquez and Chimaltenango provinces, and carrying out search operations for people who are missing.
“It’s a river of lava that overflowed its banks and affected the Rodeo village. There are injured, burned and dead people,” national disaster coordinator Sergio Cabanas said on the radio. “We are evacuating and rescuing people.”
The director of Guatemala’s National Institute of Forensic Science said 17 victims have been identified so far. Temperatures of the lava flows reached as high as 700 degrees Celsius, making identification extremely difficult.
“We’re having a lot of trouble identifying them because some of the dead lost their features or their fingerprints. We’re going to have to use other anthropological methods and if possible, take DNA samples to identify them,” Fanuel Garcia said.
Fuego is located about 44 kilometers southwest of the capital, Guatemala City, and is close to the city of Antigua, which is a popular tourist destination.
La Aurora International Airport re-opened Monday after it was closed due to the threat to planes caused by the ash.
The United Nations issued a statement saying Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and significant damage caused by the El Fuego volcano, and that the U.N. was ready to support national rescue and relief efforts.
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