Ash clouds, emergency alerts, mass evacuations: What's happening in Guetamala after violent volcano eruption?

Guatemala has raised its second-highest emergency alert after Fuego Volcano, the country's most active volcano, erupted with increasing intensity, sending towering ash clouds into the sky and forcing residents in nearby communities to flee.

Officials warned that the volcano is entering a more explosive phase, with lava flows, falling ash and dangerous volcanic debris threatening areas surrounding the mountain.

Massive ash plume and lava flows spark emergency response

The eruption began on Monday morning but intensified significantly as the day progressed.


According to Guatemala's disaster coordination agency Conred, thick ash columns climbed nearly 6 kilometres (4 miles) into the atmosphere while lava flowed down the slopes of the 3,763-metre (12,346-foot) volcano.

Authorities responded by issuing a nationwide orange alert, the country's second-highest emergency level, signalling a serious volcanic threat that requires heightened preparedness.

Villages evacuated as eruption grows stronger

Emergency officials began evacuating residents from villages located closest to the volcano, which sits about 35 kilometres (22 miles) southwest of Guatemala City.

Conred urged people living in high-risk areas to leave immediately if evacuation orders were issued or if conditions appeared life-threatening.

Emergency footage released by authorities showed glowing lava cascading down the mountainside while ash-filled clouds illuminated the night sky.

Scientists warn of a more dangerous phase

Guatemala's Institute of Volcanology said monitoring data indicates that Fuego is transitioning into a more explosive stage.

The agency warned that fast-moving flows of superheated volcanic material could travel down the volcano's slopes, posing the greatest danger to communities located on its western and southern flanks.

Ashfall has already been reported in several nearby towns as the eruption continues.

Schools close and major road shut

As a precaution, the government suspended in-person classes in communities across two municipalities near the volcano.

Authorities also closed a key highway linking Guatemala's southern coast with the historic city of Antigua, one of the country's most visited tourist destinations and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The road closure aims to protect motorists from ashfall and other volcanic hazards as activity continues.

Fuego has a deadly history

Fuego is one of Central America's most active volcanoes and has erupted repeatedly in recent years, prompting multiple evacuations.

More than 500 people were moved to safety during an eruption last year, while another event in 2023 forced around 1,200 residents to leave their homes.

The volcano's most devastating eruption in recent history occurred in 2018, when fast-moving volcanic flows overwhelmed nearby communities, killing 215 people and leaving about the same number missing.

Guatemala remains vulnerable to volcanic activity

Guatemala sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically active region where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur frequently.

With Fuego continuing to show heightened activity, emergency authorities remain on alert as scientists closely monitor the volcano for any further escalation.

(With AFP inputs)