Ecuador's Civil Defense Department decided Thursday to maintain an alert in areas near the 5,029-meter-high Tungurahua volcano that seismologists believe is likely to erupt.
Ecuador's Geophysics Institute said Thursday it is closely monitoring the volcano's activity and that a big eruption is possible.
The volcano's current activity level is similar to that in July and August of 2006, when a large eruption killed six people and caused serious material damages, mainly in agriculture and cattle raising sectors.
The volcano, located in the Andean region of Ecuador, has recently been registering some 200 explosions per day, spewing lava, gas and ash, according to the latest report of the Geophysics Institute.
The ash fell on villages including Choglontus, El Manzano, Bilbao and Palitahua, located in the areas southwest of the volcano, covering plazas, streets, roofs and vehicles.
About 800 peasants had to be relocated as a result of the increase in volcanic activity in recent days.
The Civil Defense Department handed out masks to inhabitants in the nearby areas to avoid respiratory problems.
Source: Xinhua
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