Guatemala volcano: Satellite video shows what eruption looked like from space

Volcanic eruption killed at least 69 people

Satellite footage has been released showing the moment of Guatemala’s Fuego volcano eruption.

The deadly blast covered surrounding villages in lava and thick layers of ash, and killed scores of people on Sunday night.

The footage shows ash and lava being fired high into the air before raining down on the area close to the volcano.

The director of Guatemala’s National Institute of Forensic Science announced on Monday that 69 people had been killed.

The official, Fanuel Garcia, said only 17 of those bodies had so far been identified, and that the remains recovered were discovered in the hamlets of Los Lotes and El Rodeo.

"It is very difficult for us to identify them because some of the dead lost their features or their fingerprints" from the red-hot flows, Mr Garcia said.

"We are going to have to resort to other methods... and if possible take DNA samples to identify them."