A slight fall of ash and vibrations caused by the eruptive process of the Sangay volcano, in Ecuador, affect several towns in the province of Guayas and the Andean Azuay, reported the Geophysical Institute (IG).

The IG reported “noises similar to explosions and window vibrations, especially in the early hours of the morning in the localities of Nabón and San Fernando (province of Azuay), and of Guayaquil, Samborondón and Salitre (province of Guayas), following the eruptive activity of the volcano”, in its most recent report.

According to the geophysicist, the atmospheric conditions in the early morning made it possible to hear the roars of the colossus, located in the Amazon province of Morona Santiago (southeast and border with Peru). The columns of ash emanating from the volcano reached between 600 and 2,400 meters above the level of the crater.

The 5,230-meter-high Sangay has been in a constant eruptive process since 1628, according to the State Geophysical Institute. It is one of many Ecuadorian volcanoes that have been erupting for years, like Tungurahua and Cotopaxi, both located in the south of the country.

Since 2019, the activity of Sangay has been classified as medium high due to the emission of gas, ash, lava flows, the National Risk Management Service (SNGR) said in a press release. The agency added that after an assessment, no damage was recorded from the ash fall. The alert for Sangay remains yellow.

For its part, the municipality of Guayaquil (southwest), capital of Guayas, said in a statement that the ash fall was “light” and that “activities are taking place normally in the city”.

A Canadian has died and another has been injured in an avalanche on the snow-capped volcano in Ecuador

A Canadian died and another was injured when they were surprised by an avalanche recorded in the snow-capped volcano of Chimborazo, the highest in Ecuador, reported the security service ECU911 of the city of Riobamba (south).

The agency said in a statement that a 24-year-old man who identified himself as Canadian called by phone to report the accident, in which his 25-year-old companion, of the same nationality, died. He added that “they were climbing” Chimborazo, a potentially active volcano with perpetual snowfall and located 130 km south of Quito.

This massif of 6,293 meters is the highest in Ecuador and one of the largest in the world. Riobamba’s ECU911 said rescuers managed to find the survivor, who “is in a stable state of health”. The avalanche would have occurred more than 5,000 meters above sea level from the volcano, at the foot of which are the cities of Riobamba and Ambato, respectively capitals of the provinces of Chimborazo and Tungurahua.

The National Hazard and Emergency Service confirmed on Twitter that “This morning, for unknown reasons, there was an avalanche in the snowy #Chimborazo that affected a group of mountaineers who were in the area. There is currently one person injured and another deceased.

In turn, he added that relief agencies are coordinating the whereabouts of the deceased.

Last October, an avalanche buried 16 Ecuadorians climbing to the top of Chimborazo. Three of them died and their bodies were found, and three others are still missing. Five months later, a mountaineer locates the bodies of two of the missing.

With information from AFP.