Reactivation of the volcano in Ecuador
In the afternoon, at approximately 17:30 (local time) an increase in volcanic activity that caused the decline of several pyroclastic flows were recorded.
Explosive eruption at Tungurahua in Ecuador on February 1, 2014. Image: IG-EPN webcam capture.
There have been reports that the flows reached the Chambo river drains the western side of the volcano. Preliminarily it has been determined that the column reached more than 10 km above the volcano's summit height, according to a report from the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School.
The Geophysical reported that the 14:37 column reached 2.5 km high and 3 km in the second issue of 17:13.
It was confirmed that the closure of the road in the Los Birds joins Ambato and Baños, because there pyroclastic flows.
The ambateños are expectant. "I'm a little nervous. Of all the 14 years he has been active, I've never seen such a big mushroom, "says Álvaro Proaño.
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This afternoon, the Tungurahua volcano showed a significant increase in activity with the generation of eruptions accompanied by pyroclastic flows that have suddenly fallen to the lower parts of the volcano.
At 17h12 and 17h32 moderately sized two explosions with ash plumes of 5 km above the summit were recorded and generated pyroclastic flows that descended about 500 m in the north-eastern and north-western flanks.
These explosions were followed by a larger explosion at 17h39, it initiated a sustained emission of ash that quickly reached 8 km in height.
Immediately after violently down on all sides of the volcano (NW flanks, WE NE and SW) pyroclastic flows that descended into the lower parts of the cone. Flows reached the bottom of the ravine cutting Achupashal Baños-Penipe pathway.
Ash flows impacted monitoring instruments in the ravines of Vazcun, Achupashal, Juive. Emissions of ash and pyroclastic flows continue to decline until this hour.
In addition the level of seismic activity at the volcano remains high, which was posted 50 long period events, 60 events volcanotectónico, 1 blast and 2 episodes of tremor of emission. This behavior began Thursday after registering several minor explosions broke almost four months of relative quiet on the colossus.
The Tungurahua, 5,016 meters high and located about 80 kilometers south of Quito, their current eruptive process began in 1999 and since then has periods of intense activity interspersed with periods of relative calm. This colossus integrates more than fifty volcanoes are there in Ecuador and along the Reventador and Sangay is one of the busiest in the country.
A person on the ground in the area whom we are in contact with has said their operations are currently curtailed as they have been told to not move around into the wilderness regions.
UPDATE: It appears that pyroclastic flows are crossing the road at Los Pajaros.
UPDATE 7:15 PM EST: Some reports are now putting the ash plume height at 10 km / ~32,000 feet while the Washington VAAC advisory mentions ash as high as 14 km / 47,000 feet. According to the official IG-EPN report, pyroclastic flows apparently moved down the slopes of the volcano in all directions as well.
Volcano-Cam: Above image refreshes, trained on the Volcano