The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador's central Andes spewed more ashes today and may erupt again, according to the country's geophysical institute. (Bloomberg.com) "The possibility of a major blast has not declined,'' said Hugo Yepes, director of the Intituto Geofisico, in a press conference in Quito, the capital, 140 kilometers (87 miles) north of the mountain. A major blast may occur within days if tremors reach greater levels than in the past 72 hours.
Tungurahua, which means "Throat of Fire'' in the native Quechua language, began a medium-sized eruption on Feb. 6, expelling lava, rocks and gases along with ash. The eruption has been smaller than blasts in July and August of 2006, said Yepes. Rocks or lava from the most-recent blasts haven't reached villages or crops, he said. The 16,477-foot (5,022-meter) volcano towers over the tourist hub of Banos, and ashes from the eruption have fallen on crops and towns in the area.
Several thousand people had to leave, and the government has declared a state of emergency for the provinces of Tungurahua, Chimborazo, and Bolivar.
Yesterday, the volcano showed unusual major bursts, launching lava and rocks for several hundred meters from its crater.
"It's very impressive but can't be considered a big explosion,'' said Yepes.
While the current risk for populated areas is low, if the continued tremors create a crack inside Tungurahua that releases new lava to the crater, a major eruption will happen, he said.
