A volcano erupted Thursday in Guatemala, prompting officials to order the evacuation of 35,000 people. The "Volcan de Fuego" (Fire Volcano) began emitting ash Thursday morning and was continuing to erupt late in the afternoon near the country's former capital, Antigua, Carmen Maria Caballero of the Red Cross said. Video showed white smoke pouring out of the top of the 3,763-meter volcano. Residents within 20 kilometers of the volcano were being removed from the affected zone in buses and private cars, Caballero said, adding that several people were treated at mobile health centers for respiratory problems. Another Red Cross spokesperson, Vinicio Sarazua Santillan, told CNN that some people were remaining in their houses, unwilling to evacuate due to fear that their belongings could be stolen. Thursday's eruption was the sixth - and strongest - so far this year. "It's a very active volcano," Caballero said. According to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington, the volcano is one of the most active in Central America.
