The death toll from the Guatemalan eruption has climbed to 75 and nearly 200 people remain missing, authorities have said, as they warned the Fuego volcano was showing signs of greater activity on Tuesday night.
The country’s meteorological institute, Insivumeh, heightened its warnings after the volcano erupted again on Tuesday, forcing evacuations and sending rescue workers scrambling for cover.
The peak had its most devastating eruption in more than four decades on Sunday, showering ash on a wide area and sending lava flows through nearby towns.
The national disaster agency, Conred, said 192 people remained missing after the disaster, with the death toll rising to at least 75.
“The conditions are extremely critical at this moment,” Insivumeh Director Eddy Sánchez told reporters.
Volcan de Fuego, which means “Volcano of Fire” in Spanish, is one of several active volcanoes among 34 in the Central American country. It lies near the colonial city of Antigua, a Unesco world heritage site that has survived several major eruptions.
The latest activity has been mostly on the far side of the volcano, facing the Pacific coast. The eruption on Sunday sent columns of ash and smoke 6.2 miles (10 km) into the sky, dusting several regions with ash.
Thousands of people have been evacuated, Conred said.