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Ecuador

Ecuador's Volcano Erupts Again

QUITO, April 10 (Xinhua)-- Ecuador's Guagua Pichincha volcano has erupted again, said the Geophysical Institute of National Polytechnic School (IGEPN) Monday.

According to IGEPON, the "mountain of fire", about 10 kilometers west from the capital city of Quito, registered Sunday 18 emissions of vapor and ash, as well as over one hundred quakes.

During the emissions, one could see columns of steam and ash reaching a height of about 800 meters with rosy grey color, while a sulphur odor was very strong.

IGEPN reported a descent in the number of quakes continues, but the number of emissions of steam with low amount of ash have risen in recent days.

Future emissions which could be even larger than those registered in recent days aren't left out, said IGEPN in a communique recommending keeping conditioned yellow alert in Quito and in towns near the volcano.

Volcano Guagua Pichincha, or baby Pichincha, 4,794 meters high above sea level, has been relatively stable since December last year, following its biggest ever eruption registered November 25, 1999, during which at least 500,000 tons of volcanic ash fell upon Quito city.

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