Guatemala issues 'danger' alert after eruption of Fuego, Central America's most active volcano

Guatemalan authorities issued a “danger” alert, the second-highest level after the red alert, following the eruption of the nearby Fuego volcano, which spewed lava and massive clouds of gas and ash.

The National Commission for Disaster Reduction in Guatemala announced on the X platform that it had declared an orange alert (danger) nationwide due to the eruption of Fuego volcano, and reported the evacuation of residents from two small neighboring villages.

Fuego volcano is located 35 kilometers southwest of Guatemala City. It is the most active volcano in Central America, with an elevation of 3,763 meters. The eruption began on Monday morning and intensified overnight. Guatemala lies within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region characterized by intense seismic and volcanic activity.

In recent years, residents of areas near the volcano have been evacuated multiple times. Last year, authorities evacuated more than 500 people following emissions of gases and ash from the volcano. Around 1,200 people were evacuated for the same reason in 2023. In 2018, 215 people died and approximately 200 others went missing when flows of lava and volcanic material swept through a village on the volcano’s slopes.