ECUADOR: Explosions from Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano buries nearby houses in ash and molten rock

Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano spewed molten rock on Thursday (August 17) that enveloped nearby houses, leaving one man dead, another person missing and forcing thousands from their homes. Massive clouds of ash descended on villages and houses in the tourist town of Los Banos and neighbouring Juive were swallowed by molten rock. The two neighbourhoods lie along the volcano's perimeter. Tungurahua, about 80 miles (130 km) south of capital city Quito, had shown a sharp increase in activity in July, causing hundreds of nearby villagers to flee their homes Authorities reported that 107 families lost their houses, fields and animals-- all buried under volcanic eruptions. At least one man died and about 5,000 people evacuated, officials said. Scientists with the National Geophysics Institute said the volcano's activity had abruptly stopped on Thursday morning. But more explosions could be on the way. "Our prognosis is not very favourable. Our appraisal is that there could be another state of activity similar to the one we already had," said vulcanologist Patricia Motes. "It could be a bit larger or a bit smaller, but if it's holding onto energy, it could easily produce another important event." Scientists said the explosions are part of the volcano's eruption process that started in 1999 after decades of inactivity. One of the country's 31 active volcanoes, the Tungurahua has covered dozens of villages and green pastures with gray ash. Residents of the city closest to the volcano-- Ambato-- swept buckets of ashes into pails. President Alfredo Palacio flew to the area to talk to local officials and evaluate the damage in villages and crops. Electricity flow to the oil-rich provinces of Sucumbios, Napo and Pastaza was shut down because transmission lines were affected by the Tungurahua's ash and flows of molten rock. Ecuador's key oil industry was not disrupted by the blackouts, a state oil company official told Reuters. The country's two main international airports in Quito and the port city of Guayaquil remain open, but some airlines have delayed flights, aviation officials said.

ITN Source | August 18, 2006

Tags:. .affected. .electricity. .airports. .villagers. .similar