Guatemala Issues Red Alert as Fuego Volcano Erupts, Forcing Hundreds to Flee

Guatemala has issued a red alert following a major eruption of the Fuego volcano, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes. The Central American volcano, one of the most active in the region, began erupting lava and ash on Tuesday, with conditions worsening overnight.

The volcano, standing at 3,763 meters and located less than 100 kilometers from the capital, Guatemala City, sent lava flows down its slopes and ash plumes soaring up to 6 kilometers into the sky. "Since (Tuesday) morning the volcano has been very active, and by night we received the warning to evacuate," said local resident Alejandro Garcia, 68, describing the sight of lava flowing down the mountainside as terrifying.

Emergency services have relocated at least 500 residents from the villages of El Porvenir and Las Lajitas to temporary shelters in the eastern municipality of San Juan Alotenango. The exact number of people evacuated to nearby towns remains unclear, but authorities reported that dozens of families, including children, have also found refuge in Escuintla to the south.

The red alert encompasses the regions of Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango, and Escuintla, affecting a total population of 1.6 million people. Emergency officials are urging families in at-risk zones to seek shelter proactively. The Guatemalan Institute of Volcanology reported that Fuego had been erupting continuously for 23 hours as of Wednesday morning, though the intensity had slightly decreased. The eruption has not yet impacted the capital's international airport.

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Since (Tuesday) morning the volcano has been very active, and by night we received the warning to evacuate.