Volcano spews sand and ash over Guatemala

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Volcano spews sand and ash over Guatemala
Posted: 27 April 2010 2217 hrs

GUATEMALA CITY: The Santiaguito volcano showered sand and ash Monday over a large area of western Guatemala in an "unusual" and "violent" eruption, the national seismological institute said.

Winds were carrying the ash in a northeasterly direction from the volcano, 2,500 metres (7,500 feet) above sea level in the province of Quetzaltenango, 206 kilometres (123 miles) west of the capital, it said.

The ash plume spread across six provinces, raising fears of damage to crops, the institute said, while classes were suspended at schools in three provinces.

The national disaster reduction coordination agency CONRED increased its alert level to orange, one level below the maximum red, its director Alejandro Maldonado said.

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