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Miraculous rescue of baby buried under volcanic ash


A baby buried under ash after a volcanic eruption has miraculously survived.

Police officers rescued the baby girl from her home that was covered in ash after Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupted, leaving at least 75 dead. The death toll has risen from 69.

Video released by police shows an officer climbing down a ladder and pulling the baby out from the ash.

People praised the police officers on Twitter for the rescue.

“My respects to you heroes without cloak,” one said.

Others thanked them for their tireless work following the volcanic eruption and for risking their lives to save others.

“They are heroes, God take care of them,” one said on Twitter.

“I have only good comments.

“In a situation of danger, I thank you.”

A baby miraculously survived after a house was covered in ash. Source: Twitter: PNCdeGuatemala
A baby miraculously survived after a house was covered in ash. Source: Twitter: PNCdeGuatemala

Guatemala’s seismology and vulcanology institute says activity is increasing at the Volcano of Fire, which erupted Sunday and sent deadly flows of super-hot material boiling down its slopes and into nearby villages.

On Tuesday, strong explosions billowed ash up more than 5000 meters above sea level and the dust was blowing east and northeast.

The institute said there was a moderate flow of dangerous volcanic material down the volcano, and warned of the possibility of a strong flow in some areas.

Guatemala’s disaster agency issued new evacuation orders for some nearby communities Tuesday afternoon, setting off a panicky flight by people that stalled traffic in some areas.

Clouds of ash rise from the Volcan de Fuego, or Volcano of Fire, seen from the El Rodeo hamlet of Escuintla in Guatemala. Source: Ap/Rodrigo Abd
Clouds of ash rise from the Volcan de Fuego, or Volcano of Fire, seen from the El Rodeo hamlet of Escuintla in Guatemala. Source: Ap/Rodrigo Abd

Guatemala’s National Institute of Forensic Sciences raised the death toll from Sunday’s eruption of the Volcano of Fire to 75.

Authorities have not offered any estimate of how many people might still be missing.

The institute says only 23 of the recovered bodies have been identified so far. The searing hot volcanic material that covered communities near the volcano left many of the bodies unrecognisable so DNA testing or other methods will be necessary for identification.

Dozens of people have been seen walking along roads carrying children or a few belongings beside paralysed traffic in parts of the Escuintla township, south of the volcano.