18 Guatemalans killed by hit-and-run truck driver

A truck driver barreled into a group of indigenous Guatemalans on Wednesday night, killing 18 before fleeing the scene as police began a manhunt.

The incident occurred at the entry point to the western town of Nahuala, which has a population of around 65,000, most of whom are K'iche' Maya.

A group of people had converged at the scene of another hit-and-run in which a local community leader was killed, when they in turn were hit by a truck with its lights off on a road without street lighting.

"In total there are 18 deaths that have been counted in this tragedy," fire department spokesman Cecilio Chacaj told AFP, revising down a previous toll of 30 that he attributed to early chaos on the scene where bodies were piled up on top of another.

Chacaj added the dead included three minors while 20 had been wounded, some seriously, and were being treated in hospitals.

The government announced three days of mourning from Thursday, while President Jimmy Morales tweeted: "We are currently coordinating actions to provide all the support to the victims' families. My condolences."