Thousands of people have been evacuated from the area surrounding the Fuego volcano in Guatemala amid fears of further eruptions after red-hot rock and ash threatened lives and homes when it erupted on Sunday.

Burning lava burst as high as 3,200ft into the sky, and flows of boiling debris ran nearly two miles down one side of the volcano – the latest in a string of eruptions.

A column of ash rose nearly 23,000ft above sea level and drifted towards Guatemala City nearly 20 miles away.

Experts said explosions shook homes with “constant sounds similar to a train locomotive”.

The Fuego volcano already devastated the area earlier this year, and could expel more dangerous flows of hot ash and lava, according to Juan Pablo Oliva, head of the country’s seismological, volcanic and meteorological institute Insivumeh.

Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Show all 13 1 /13 Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Fuego volcano erupts at sunrise. More than 2,000 people have been evacuated from several villages due to the strong eruption EPA Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Fuego volcano is located 50 kilometers west of the Guatemalan capital AP Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions A family evacuates their home EPA Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Guatemalan authorities declared a red alert Reuters Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Residents of several communities nearby the erupting Fuego volcano, stay at a temporary shelter AFP/Getty Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions A provisional shelter Reuters Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions A cloud of red ash hovers over a highway AP Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Children inside a provisional shelter Reuters Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions TOPSHOT - A general view shows Fuego volcano erupting as seen from Alotenango, a municipality in Sacatepequez department, 65 km southwest of Guatemala City on November 19, 2018. - Guatemalan authorities on Monday declared a red alert after the Fuego volcano erupted again, forcing almost 3,000 residents to flee. (Photo by JOHAN ORDONEZ / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX *** AFP Contributor#AFP AFP/Getty Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Residents of several communities arrive at a temporary shelter in Escuintla AFP/Getty Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Steam rises from Fuego volcano Reuters Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Soldiers stand by to help those residents who wish to evacuate their homes AP Guatemala's Fuego volcano: thousands flee after eruptions Fuego volcano erupting, as seen from San Juan Alotenango, outside of Guatemala City Reuters

Nearly 4,000 people heeded the call of disaster coordination authorities to evacuate 10 communities, taking school buses to reach shelters.

The Fuego – also known as the Volcano of Fire – is one of the most active in Central America, and an eruption in June killed 194 people. Another 234 are officially missing, although organisations supporting the communities have insisted thousands are missing.

This is the fifth eruption so far this year of the 12,346ft volcano, one of the most active in Central America. Its mixtures of ash, rock, mud and debris can bury entire towns.

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Guatemala’s national institute for seismology, volcanology and meteorology believes the ash could travel around up to 20 miles southwest and northeast from the volcano’s summit.