Guatemala Fuego Volcano erupts live: Evacuation and nationwide 'danger' alert

Guatemala Fuego Volcano erupts live: Evacuation and nationwide 'danger' alert Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala - one of the most volatile volcanoes in the world - has started erupting, with a nationwide 'danger' alert issued A state of emergency has been declared after the sudden eruption of one of Central America's most dangerous volcanoes. Volcán de Fuego, famous for being one of the most active and volatile volcanoes in the world, started erupting in Guatemala on Monday morning and had intensified by nightfall, sending molten lava and huge plumes of ash and smoke spewing into the air. Officials responded by issuing the country's second-highest emergency alert and rapidly moving to evacuate residents from the danger zone. "An orange (danger) alert has been declared nationwide due to the eruption of the Fuego volcano,” Guatemalan disaster agency Conred posted on X as it began evacuating two villages close to the volcano's base. Key Events Evacuees are currently taking refuge at a nearby shelter while authorities continue to monitor the area. Fuego's most deadly eruption came on June 2018, which saw nearly 200 people killed during the largest eruption the region had seen since 1974. At least 190 people were killed during the blast, along with vast quantities of animals and local wildlife. An additional 57 people were injured and 256 people were officially labelled as missing by the government following the eruption, although local resident estimate the real death toll could be a high as 2,900. A tourist taking a hike in the area close to the volcano has captured stunning close up footage of the eruption. View the clip below: Guatemala lies on the Pacific's infamous "Ring of Fire" and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity as a result. Last year 500 people were evacuated after Fuego began to spew ash and smoke, while the government shut down school activities and closed a road leading from the volcano to the nearby city of Antigua. A previous eruption in 2023 saw the evacuation of around 1,200 people from the area. Disaster-spotting YouTube channel AfarTV is currently broadcasting footage of the eruption live. Watch the livestream below: The volcano is currently increasing in activity, with more lava continuing to flow down the southwest side of the mountain, Conred reports. Volcán de Fuego, Spanish for volcano of fire,' lies in the Sierra Madre mountain range in Central America, around 16km west of Antigua, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the region. Fuego is famous for being almost contantly active at low levels, discharging ash, smoke and low-level explosions nearly every 15-20 minuties. Although larger eruptions are more rare, this marks the ninth major eruption since 2015 Conred, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction in Guatemala, confirmed that the area was unsafe earlier today. The famously volatile Volcán de Fuego in Guatemela began erupting on Monday morning. It is the third major eruption in four years for Central America’s most active volcano. Fuego last erupted twice in 2023, causing the evacuation of around 1,700 people as they were rushed to safety. It also erupted in 2018, killing 215 people after lava poured down into a nearby village.