Thousands of residents have fled Guatemala‘s Fuego volcano (Volcano of Fire), which sent boiling lava and ash flying almost two miles from its summit.

Guatemala’s volcanology unit said explosions from the 12,300-foot high mountain shook homes with “constant sounds similar to a train”, terrorising communities still recovering after an eruption earlier this year killed 194 people.

Incandescent material burst as high as 1,000 metres above the crater and rivers of pyroclastic material flowed down the mountain’s slopes.

Meanwhile, a column of ash rose nearly 23,000 feet before drifting eastwards towards Guatemala City.

Some 4,000 residents heeded the request by authorities to evacuate, piling into yellow school buses for trips to shelters.

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

The national disaster commission said 3,925 people had been evacuated by early Monday, although the eruption grew less intense and later many decided to return to their homes.

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 support organisations say thousands are missing and presumed dead.

The biggest danger from the volcano are lahars, a mixture of ash, rock, mud and debris, that can bury entire towns. On Monday, there had been no reports of such flows reaching populated areas.

Four emergency shelters have been set up for evacuees, including a camp of nylon tents erected at a sports centre in the nearby town of Escuintla.

Dora Caal, 26, who fled her town of El Rodeo with five members of her family, said: “Last night we heard the volcano roar, you could see fire, we couldn’t sleep.

“At dawn we said we’d better get out, we were afraid.”

Ms Caal said she was still suffering from the eruption in June.

“Back then I lost my job at a farm that was on the slopes of the volcano, she said. “They closed it and we can’t work there anymore.”

Enma Hernandez, 42, left her home in El Rodeo to evacuate, but her 20-year-old son stayed behind to protect the family home from looters.

A number of communities decided to evacuate only women and children.