BOGOTA (Feb. 14) -- A volcano in southwestern Colombia erupted on
Saturday, blanketing the nearby provincial capital of Pasto in ash
and prompting the evacuation of 7,000 people living in its shadow.
There were no reports of damage or injuries.
Mount Galeras began erupting about an hour after dark, spewing
"an abundant ashfall on urban Pasto and on some rural areas,"
said Eduardo Alvarado, mayor of the city of 500,000.
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Blowing Their Tops
This photo, taken June 12 from the International Space Station, shows a volcanic eruption in its earliest stage. The volcano is Russia's Sarychev Peak on Matua Island in the Kuril Islands, northeast of Japan. The main plume appears to be a mixture of brown ash and white steam, NASA said. Click through to see other recent volcano eruptions.
NASA
NASA
Pasto is just over 6 miles from the 14,110-foot
volcano , which is widely considered Colombia's most active.
"We've recommended that people who live in urban areas remain
in their homes," said Alvarado. "The city is tranquil despite the
great quantity of ash that has fallen."
No injuries or other problems had been reported, but authorities
did order two water treatment plants near Galeras to shut down,
Alvarado said.
The volcano last erupted in January 2008, but Alvarado said it
has hard to compare the two eruptions because this time it was
raining and the volcano was shrouded in clouds.
No one was hurt in 2008 and most nearby residents refused to
evacuate, fearing their homes would be looted.
In 1993, an eruption of Galeras killed nine people, including
five scientists who had descended into the crater to sample gases.
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