Ecuadorean villagers fled their homes after the Andean nation's "Throat of Fire" volcano erupted today, spewing columns of ash that could affect flights, Reuters quoted authorities as saying. In the second eruption in Latin America on Friday, loud explosions shook the ground and rattled windows near the volcano known as Tungurahua in the indigenous Quechua language, 130 km (81 miles) southeast of Quito, officials said. Residents close to the 5,020 metre (16,500 feet) volcano were evacuated from Cusua and Juive Grande villages, the president's office said in a statement, without saying how many people were affected. "The eruptive column is some 10 km (33,000 feet) high with pyroclastic flows," Hugo Yepes, director of Ecuador's Geophysical Institute, told reporters. Tungurahua has been classed as active since 1999 and had a strong eruption in 2008. It is one of eight active volcanoes in the country. Yepes said that ash plumes could "easily" reach 35,000 to 40,000 feet in altitude at which long-distance flights operate. "As such there should be at least a diversion for international routes," he said. Ash particles can cause serious damage if sucked into airplane engines. An Icelandic volcano caused widespread disruption and major losses for airlines after flights were grounded for days in Europe in mid-April. In Guatemala, another geologically volatile Latin American nation, villagers fled and the international airport was closed after the Pacaya volcano erupted close to its capital.
