Ecuador's Cotopaxi volcano sputters back to life
Residents in Ecuador woke up to find the Cotopaxi volcano 鈥渃oming back to life鈥� Friday after two early blasts released bursts of ash reaching two miles high.
Observers at Ecuador鈥檚 detected a swarm of earthquakes Thursday, the largest of which had a magnitude of 2.7, which led to minor explosions heard by climbers on Friday.听
They stressed that the nearly 20,000-foot snow-capped听volcano is not about to erupt. Yet authorities closed the surrounding Cotopaxi National Park, a popular tourist site, and suspended mountain climbers鈥� hikes up the peak as a precaution.
"We recommend climbers take precautions around the crater, given the possibility of explosions which release rocks or energetic emissions of vapor and volcanic gases that could be harmful," the institute said in a statement.
The observatory鈥檚 Patricio Ramon identified the explosions as small phreatic eruptions, usually triggered when molten rock, or magma, meets water and produces a violent steam release.听
"The situation merits the population staying informed about what's happening with the听volcano," Mr. Ramon told Teleamazonas TV, according to the Associated Press. 听
Cotopaxi鈥檚 bursts left an opaque blanket of ash covering Quito, the country鈥檚 capital, located about 30 miles from the volcano, leaving highways, homes, and cars coated with a fine gray powder.
One onlooker captured the volcano鈥檚 explosion soaring above clouds in a short video taken during a flight.听
Cotopaxi听began showing renewed activity in April.听Two months later, the Geophysical Institute that ranged from 10-15 minutes.
Located in a heavily populated area, the volcano has erupted more than since the 16th century, according to Oregon State University.
It鈥檚 considered one of the world鈥檚 most dangerous volcanoes, thanks to its glacial cover that makes it vulnerable to fast-moving volcanic rock and mudflows known as lahares.
Its last major eruption in 1877 melted snow and ice on the summit, producing mudflows that traveled as far as 60 miles (100 km) from the volcano. Cotopaxi鈥檚 most recent explosion occurred in 1904, as reports of a 1942 explosion have not been confirmed.听
This report includes material from Reuters and the Associated Press.
