June 5 (UPI) — The death toll has risen in Guatemala, where hundreds of rescuers are searching through ash Tuesday following the eruption at Mount Fuego.
Officials said at least 69 people are dead and that figure is expected to rise possibly into the hundreds. Only 17 have been identified so far, according to Guatemala’s National Institute of Forensic Sciences.
At least 15 people were hospitalized, including 12 children who suffered severe burns.
With some areas impassible in and around the volcano, many survivors have begun to bury their loved ones while others are wondering if their families made it out alive.
“It is very, very difficult due to the fact that it’s very, very hot,” Mario Cifuentes, a volunteer firefighter, said. “The soil is very unstable. We cannot be walking around… the shoes, they’ve been completely destroyed because of the heat.”
The volcano, 25 miles from Guatemala City, erupted for the second time this year on Sunday. Mount Fuego is Spanish for “mountain of fire.”
Entire towns were engulfed in thick, heavy ash after the volcano unleashed a fast-moving pyroclastic cloud — a mix of ash, rock and gases that can be much more dangerous than lava.
Dr. Otto Mazariegos, president of the Association of Municipal and Departmental Firefighters, told The New York Times firefighters found charred remains of some who were unable to flee.
“We saw bodies totally, totally buried, like you saw in Pompeii,” Mazariegos said.
One survivor, Ines López Hernandez, told Prensa Libre his family was buried by debris.
“My mother is buried there. Now, what do I do to cry? My heart is hard, all our family is here, buried,” Hernandez said.
“Not everyone escaped, I think they were buried,” Consuelo Hernandez said. “We saw the lava was pouring through the corn fields, and we ran toward a hill.”
In areas that are reachable for crews, protective masks are worn and construction equipment is used to navigate the dangerous conditions.
Officials said the seismic event has affected nearly 2 million people.