Search suspended for survivors of volcano

GUATEMALA’S NATIONAL disaster agency has suspended search and rescue efforts at the zone devastated by the eruption of the Volcano of Fire, saying climatic conditions and stillhot volcanic material makes it dangerous for the rescuers.

The agency said yesterday it decided to suspend the search as 72 hours had passed, the length of time officials had said that some victims might have survived.

Troublesome rain and more volcanic activity had been hindering searches, but when teams have been able to work in the hardest-hit areas, the death toll has continued to rise. Efforts were cut short again on Wednesday when a downpour forced teams to retreat for fear of mudslides.

Boiling water flowing down the volcano’s slopes from dangerously hot volcanic gas and ash also posed a threat.

A day earlier, flows of superheated volcanic material forced crews to pull back. But between stoppages, search teams working with shovels and heavy equipment found more bodies from Sunday’s big eruption.

Remains were loaded into body bags and carried out on stretchers. Guatemala’s National Institute of Forensic Sciences raised the death toll to 99 late in the afternoon, an increase of 24 bodies for the day. Only 28 of the total had been identified. At least 197 people were listed as missing.

“Nobody is going to be able to get them out or say how many are buried here,” Efrain Suarez said, standing amid the smoking holes dotting what used to be the village of San Miguel Los Lotes on the flanks of the mountain.

A day after a new evacuation was ordered due to increasing activity by the volcano, a red alert remained in place for the departments of Escuintla, Sacatepequez and Chimaltenango, and people were advised not to linger near the affected zones.