Volcano Puts Ecuadorians on
Orange Alert
QUITO - The Tungurahua volcano has become
increasingly active and on Thursday placed
Ecuador's Andean province of Chimborazo on
orange alert, forcing authorities to
reinforce measures in high-risk zones.
According to the Geophysics Institute,
between four and five explosions per hour
are being registered for the 5,023
meter-high volcano.
A strong eruption of ashes and gases about
two weeks ago forced the immediate
evacuation of nearly 2,500 people, a figure
that has increased due to further
evacuations of residents in high-risk zones.
The eruption of this volcano left six dead
in 2006, and it now has various villages or
towns in Tungurahua and Chimborazo provinces
on alert, including the Baños de Agua Santa
tourist zone, a village of about 15,000
inhabitants located at the foot of the
volcano.
On Wednesday afternoon, a column of ashes
caused by one of the explosions rose about
four kilometers into the air, and westerly
winds spread it to the Pillate, Bilbao,
Cahuaji, Quero, and Mocha zones.
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