Guatemala's Volcán de Fuego, one of Central America's most active and volatile volcanoes, began erupting on Monday morning, intensifying by nightfall with lava flows and large plumes of ash and smoke. Authorities issued the country's second-highest emergency alert and started evacuating residents from nearby villages.
Evacuations and alert level
The Guatemalan disaster agency Conred declared an orange (danger) alert nationwide due to the eruption, as it initiated evacuations of two villages close to the volcano's base.
Conred reported that lava continues to flow down the southwest side of the mountain, with activity increasing.
Location and volcanic activity
Volcán de Fuego, Spanish for 'volcano of fire,' lies in the Sierra Madre mountain range, about 16km west of Antigua, a popular tourist destination. The volcano is known for being almost constantly active at low levels, with ash, smoke, and small explosions occurring nearly every 15-20 minutes.
This eruption marks the ninth major eruption since 2015.
Past eruptions and impact
Fuego last erupted twice in 2023, leading to the evacuation of around 1,700 people. In 2018, a deadly eruption killed 215 people when lava poured into a nearby village.
Last year, 500 people were evacuated after Fuego spewed ash and smoke, prompting school closures and the shutdown of a road to Antigua.
