Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador spews out smoke and ash

Quito (dpa) - The Ecuadorean Geophysics Institute confirmed Thursday that the Tungurahua volcano spewed out the night before a huge plume of smoke and water vapour that reached a height of eight kilometres and showered ash over nearby areas.

The explosion, which occurred Wednesday night just before 10 p.m. local time, created a giant cloud of water vapour and ash which opened its way through the clouds and moved in a westward direction and then shifted to the north, towards Quito.

Despite the ashes showered in the region authorities did not deem it necessary to call off activities in mostly farming communities near to the volcano.

Citizens in Quito could Thursday see the cloud, but it had not yet affected the capital.

Technicians who have been monitoring the Tungurahua for two years said the explosion was part of activity at the volcano in that period.

In 1999, strong explosions causing heavy ash and water vapour exhalations at the Tungurahua, forced the evacuation of 100,000 people in the city of Banos, capital of Tungurahua province.

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