AKIPRESS.COM - Twenty-five people have been killed and hundreds injured after Guatemala's Fuego volcano erupted, BBCreported citing officials.

The volcano, about 40km (25 miles) south-west of the capital Guatemala City, has been spewing rocks, black smoke and ash into the sky.

The National Disaster Management Agency (Conred) said a river of lava hit the village of El Rodeo, destroying houses and burning people inside.

In Guatemala City, La Aurora airport has been closed due to ash.

President Jimmy Morales said a national emergency response had been launched.

"We think that there could be a state of devastation in at least three areas," President Morales said.

This eruption is the biggest since 1974, according to local experts.

The Conred head Sergio Cabañas told a local radio station that a lava stream had changed course towards El Rodeo.

"It's a river of lava that overflowed its banks and affected the El Rodeo village. There are injured, burned and dead people.

"Unfortunately El Rodeo was buried and we haven't been able to reach the La Libertad village because of the lava and maybe there are people that died there too."