Every morning, the residents of small communities around Pacaya Volcano in Guatemala wonder if the lava will reach their homes.
A slow moving stream descending the volcano has shifted between El Patrocinio and San José el Rodeo. In the latter case, the lava has moved within two and a half blocks of the outer houses.
Emma Quezada, a 38-year-old housewife in one of those houses, has lived there all her life and said she was used to the volcanic activity. Yet this time she was scared.
“For the past three days, the lava stopped; we hope it stays there, ”said Quezada.
Local authorities had spoken to residents about moving the community to a different location about 62 miles away, but without the space they now have, she said.
“Like going from here to a small piece of land!” she said. “We may not have anything great here, but we live in blessed peace, we have no other danger, not even thieves … The options they offer you are not comparable to what we have here.”
Pacaya volcano rises 2,552 meters between the departments of Guatemala and Escuintla, south of the capital. It is a popular tourist destination and is surrounded by 21 communities.
In early February, a canyon opened in one of the volcano’s flanks and lava began to flow, which now stretches for at least three miles. Meanwhile, ash and gases spewed from the crater.
Even if the lava doesn’t reach their homes, the ash has damaged their corn crop and the pastures where their cows graze.
El Rodeo is home to 57 families, about 350 people, said Juventino Pineda, the chair of the Urban and Rural Development Community Council.
Pineda, 67, can recall several eruptions during his lifetime. “One of the worst was 1962. I was a kid and lava was also coming from a crack in the volcano – that time it was 20 miles of lava,” he said.
This time, Pineda said, “we believe that at least 50% of the homes in the community would be destroyed because of the lava path.” There is an evacuation plan if the situation worsens.
“At night, when the volcano erupts, everything turns red, everything shines. It looks like a day, ”said Pineda.
As you approach the lava, you can feel the ambient temperature rise. There is a slight sulfur smell and you can hear a cracking.
“It is important to know that we need help. Maybe someone can help us internationally, ”said Pineda.