More than a million Ecuadorians have been affected by the eruption of the Tungurahua Volcano last Thursday, the government reported on Monday.

The government declared a state of emergency in the provinces of Bolivar, Chimborazo and Tungurahua, after the 5,029-meter volcano, 180 km from Ecuador's capital Quito, threw ash and burning rock into the stratosphere, affecting over one million people, almost 454,000 in Tungurahua and 403,632 in Chimborazo.

The rescue agency said at least five people died and three more went missing. The latter were also presumed dead. The lava injured 65 people, of whom five suffered serious burns, it added.

The bodies of four people have been found. A fifth person died in hospital, the agency said.

The eruption has destroyed more than 40,000 hectares of crops in Chimborazo alone. In addition, 50,000 poultry were also killed in the disaster.

Hugo Yepez, director of Ecuador's Geophysics Institute, told the media on Monday that the volcanic activity was calming. But he warned that an increasing warp on the north face of the mountain showed that it was continuing to accumulate lava. It could lead to an even larger explosion than Thursday's eruption, he said.

Tungurahua has not erupted or shown signs of seismic activity since Thursday, and the crater was showing signs of deflation.

"Probably the volcano will continue like this until there is a new upthrust of volcanic material," he said.

Source: Xinhua