Ecuador: Tungurahua Volcano Active, Government Urges Evacuations

QUITO, Ecuador -- Ecuador's government is urging four villages to evacuate because of increased activity in the Tungurahua volcano not far from the country's capital.

Authorities in the South American nation say about 700 people live in the mainly farming communities on the slopes of the volcano in the Andes.

Ecuador's Geophysical Institute says increased activity that began Sunday is billowing columns of ash, sending superheated clouds of gas down the slopes and cascading hot rocks from the summit.

The agency said Monday that it is recording a gradual accumulation of lava in the mountain.

The 16,480-foot (5,023-meter) volcano is in a sparsely populated area about 84 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of the capital, Quito. It has been active since 1999.

Comments

[NaturalizedTexan]

09:18 AM on 12/01/2011

Seems to be a lot of volcanic activity lately...
So much, from so many volcanoes...
I'm not sure, but isn't this the closest one so far, to the place where that Mayan calendar was found?

[Rune Borsjo]

04:26 PM on 11/29/2011

Occupy Volcano!

[empress trudy]

02:44 PM on 11/29/2011

I blame America.

[strafem2]

12:27 PM on 11/29/2011

See the big red glow, OK , run the other way.

[4everright]

10:15 AM on 11/29/2011

we need to put a cap on this volcano...tax the rich!

[Bruce Erickson]

10:12 AM on 11/29/2011

PLEASE DON'T TELL GORE ABOUT THIS!!!!! He might just want to protest the actions of this right-winged volcano.

[HCBurlingame]

12:23 PM on 11/29/2011

Member Since March 2011

[LivelyLexie]

07:55 AM on 11/29/2011

I know that volcanic soil is very fertile, but I don't think I'd EVER want to live that close to one, certainly not on its slopes.

[dterraman]

05:59 AM on 11/29/2011

if you haven`t gotten the picture yet after 12 years, government suggestions aren`t going to make a difference

[St Ansgar]

04:12 AM on 11/29/2011

If a stream of magma alone does not prompt one to relocate then humankind has reached the end of the line.

[Al Schrader]

06:47 AM on 11/29/2011

Actually, volcanic soils are very fertile, so in time this will create prosperity. To use it though, you have to be ready to leave the area in case of an eruption which can have as much as two hundred years between, though...Al-

[St Ansgar]

03:52 PM on 11/29/2011

I know, but contributing to the soils fertility for lack of relocating is ill advised

[caveman1313]

01:54 AM on 11/29/2011

occupy the volcano!

[Al Schrader]

06:45 AM on 11/29/2011

"Hey Belinda" "What ?" "Lets build our house on the side of the volcano" "Okay".

[caveman1313]

01:53 AM on 11/29/2011

is ecuador buying carbon credits to offset the co2 their volcano is emitting?

[storgrisdemo]

04:19 AM on 11/29/2011

ask Michele Bachmann , she might buy some stock

[US 395]

01:31 AM on 11/29/2011

Look at all the carbons spewing into the air. The EPA should have this volcano arrested.

[HCBurlingame]

12:26 PM on 11/29/2011

Member Since November 2011, why are all of the "Righty's" such Newbs?

[jmartinlegal]

01:06 AM on 11/29/2011

Ecuador? Is that a country? Why don't they pass a law against volcanoes? Damn third world can't get it together.

[ibeyour1]

01:34 AM on 11/29/2011

FINALLY proof of global warming!

[Rob2tall]

04:07 PM on 11/29/2011

the proof has been around for decades-just many refuse to believe any of it...

[201992]

09:01 AM on 11/29/2011

Why are you so ignorant?

[flxdcatbruce]

01:06 AM on 11/29/2011

I often wonder what people are thinking...."Oh look a volcano, lets build our village at the base of it".

[southingtonian]

02:22 AM on 11/29/2011

"Why do people live on dangerous volcanoes? The main reason is the rich volcanic soil. People are willing to take high-risk gambles for the most basic things of life--especially food."
http://volcanology.geol.ucsb.edu/soil.htm

[milty]

02:44 AM on 11/29/2011

They thought the problem was licked with the virgin sacrifices.

[RadicalAmerica]

12:44 AM on 11/29/2011

All the greenhouse gas. Looks like more than us humans produce in 1000 years.....

[Sierra97]

01:19 AM on 11/29/2011

You don't understand and I don't have the time...

[US 395]

01:32 AM on 11/29/2011

Wow that was such a deep intelligent answer lib.

[ThinkCreeps]

04:33 AM on 11/29/2011

You'd better be extra careful what's powering that dim bulb you've got there, bub.