Tungurahua Volcano eruption leaves 5,000 homeless

At least 4,900 people have lost their homes and crops beneath the ash and rubble from the Tungurahua Volcano, which erupted on Thursday, the nation's Civil Defense Organization said in a report on Sunday.

The volcano in southern Ecuador left five people dead, 13 others injured and 60 missing, the report said, adding 10 settlements were completely destroyed and 30,000 people were affected.

Make-shift hostels were housing 240 families from Tungurahua and 740 from neighboring Chimborazo province, it said.

Tungurahua, which means "throat of fire" in the Quechua language, erupted violently before dawn on Thursday, following a 4.4-magnitude earthquake.

The country's Chamber of Agriculture said that some 20,000 hectares of crops, including maize, potatoes, vegetables, and pasture had been buried by lava, and 350 heads of cattle had been killed.

Freelance volcanologist Pablo Samaniego said that the 5,209-meter volcano was calm on Sunday, but the 2006 eruption pattern had been similar to that of 1918, which means that another serious eruption could occur within a few weeks.

In 1918, Tungurahua registered five massive eruptions between January and November. This year it exploded on July 14 and Aug. 17.

"We don't know if the coming (activity) will be smaller or bigger, but we should be ready," Samaniego said.

Source: Xinhua/agencies