the volcano suddenly produced its most powerful eruption since 1974. Large pyroclastic density currents were produced that over-topped the barranca boundaries they had previously been confined to and unexpectedly hit El Rodeo, Las Lajas, San Miguel Los Lotes, and La Reunión villages in Escuintla, which buried the towns and killed many of the surprised residents. Later, 18 bodies were found in the village of San Miguel Los Lotes. Members of the Shriners International fraternity met six of over fifty burned children, ages 1–16, that were sent from Guatemala to the Shriners Hospital in Galveston, Texas and accompanied by 5 guardians for receiving the appropriate and medical treatment. Ash fall extended as far as the capital, Guatemala City forcing the closure of La Aurora International Airport. The military assisted in clearing ash off of the runway. Rescue attempts were seriously hampered as routes into the affected regions were seriously damaged by the pyroclastic density currents. On 5 June, Associated Press reported that at least 99 people are dead and nearly 200 others unaccounted for following the eruption, while some Shriners hospitals were activated for new entries. Gallery See also List of volcanoes in Guatemala List of volcanic eruptions by death toll References Bibliography External links Map to Volcano Global Volcanism Program YouTube Video of the eruption on 3 June 2018 Volcan de Fuego Sierra Madre de Chiapas Stratovolcanoes of Guatemala Subduction volcanoes Active volcanoes Volcan de Fuego Volcan de Fuego VEI-4 volcanoes