ECUADOR-VOLCANO Authorities distribute emergency kits to Ecuadoreans living near rumbling volcano

Record ID: 143448

  • Title: ECUADOR-VOLCANO Authorities distribute emergency kits to Ecuadoreans living near rumbling volcano
  • Date: 19th August 2015
  • Summary: EL PEDREGAL, ECUADOR (AUGUST 18, 2015) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF COTOPAXI VOLCANO EMITTING COLUMN OF ASH HOMES IN THE COMMUNITY WITH VOLCANO IN BACKGROUND RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS ENTERING COMMUNITY HOUSE VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS AT INFORMATION MEETING VARIOUS OF BUS FROM THE SECRETARIAT OF RISK RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS TAKING EMERGENCY KITS OUT OF BUS BAGS CONTAINING EMERGENCY KITS AUTHORITIES REVIEWING DOCUMENTS VOLUNTEER GIVING EMERGENCY KIT TO RESIDENT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) EL PEDREGAL RESIDENT, VICTOR CHANGOLUISA, SAYING: "It is always necessary to be prepared. It is necessary to try to avoid - now, thank God, technology is advanced and we can be prepared." ALANGASI, ECUADOR (AUGUST 18, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF COTOPAXI VOLCANO WITH ASH CLOUD AS SEEN FROM COMMUNITY ON OUTSKIRTS OF QUITO
  • Embargoed: 3rd September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ecuador
  • Country: Ecuador
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA420T2235BQ4JM92W91DL9EZ6Y
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Ecuador's Cotopaxi Volcano continued rumbling on Tuesday (August 18), spewing smoke and ash and forcing nearby residents to take precautions.
    In the town of El Pedregal, located about 15 kilometers from the volcano, the Red Cross distributed emergency kits to dozens of residents. The kits included masks, goggles and blankets.
    A meeting was also held in the local community center and residents welcomed the information.
    "It is always necessary to be prepared. It is necessary to try to avoid - now, thank God, technology is advanced and we can be prepared," said community member Victor Changoluisa.
    Meanwhile, government authorities kept a close eye on the volcano. One team even flew over Cotopaxi in an Armed Forces plane to evaluate the activity from the air.
    Patricio Ramon, a volcanologist from the Geophysical Institute of the Polytechnic School of Ecuador, explained what was happening.
    "It is permanent activity of continual emissions with variable quantities of ash. The majority of the the time, as can be seen in the images, it's white water vapor. But when this becomes a little more grey, it's because the amount of ash has increased. The volcano continues with important activity, with activity that tells us that this process is happening. The volcano is maintained in a sustainable way, at least in the last two days," he said.
    The latest monitoring comes several days after Ecuador's President Rafael Correa declared a state of emergency following increased activity at the volcano.
    The Environment Ministry closed the Cotopaxi National Park as a precaution. Cotopaxi is one of the world's highest active volcanoes and is popular with tourists.
    The last eruption took place in 1940, according to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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