Death toll from Guatemala volcano rises to 69
AP
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Mourners and relatives participate in the funeral of Juan Fernando Galindo, member of the National Coordinator for Disasters. (Photo: VCG)

EL RODEO, Guatemala - At 8:50 p.m. local time.

Guatemalan authorities have increased the confirmed death toll from the eruption of the Volcano of Fire to 69 as officials suspended the search until dawn on Tuesday.

Fanuel Garcia is the director of Guatemala's National Institute of Forensic Sciences and he announced the higher death toll late Monday. He said only 17 of the dead have been identified so far.

The burning ash and mud that engulfed villages on the volcano's flanks Sunday left many victims unrecognizable. They will have to be identified through DNA testing or other means.

A lack of electricity in the most heavily hit zone makes safely searching at night impossible.