A number of localities in Ecuador have already been evacuated as one of the most dangerous volcanos in the region, Cotopaxi, started to produce small eruptions Friday, after decades of sleep.
After years of inactivity, the volcano began belching out pyroclastic flow which could potentially cause lahars.
Though no landslides have been registered yet, officials ordered precautionary evacuations. A number of towns and riverside villages in Cotopaxi Province have been cleared, according to the head of the Secretariat for Risk Management Pablo Morillo.
The authorities, however, maintained a "yellow light" warning, stressing that evacuations were a preventive measure, so were prohibiting tourists and climbers from approaching the mountain.
Explosion of ashes of the Ecuadorian volcano #Cotopaxi. First in 70 years. Column of ashes of 5km. pic.twitter.com/lnWQRonHEJ
— María Carmen Carrión (@mdccarrion) August 14, 2015
There was still some panicking among the residents. On Friday families could be seen frantically packing their belongings into cars and fleeing their homes to the sound of sirens and with a background of a grey cloud forming above the volcano.
Despite the unclear forecasts of Cotopaxi's behavior, President Correa has decided to play it safe.
"We will declare a state of emergency based on the activity of the Cotopaxi volcano. Why have I made that decision? To secure resources… to address a potential emergency and mobilize the necessary resources," Correa explained in his weekly address.
Being a part of the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, Ecuador is predisposed to seismic and volcanic events. Cotopaxi is one of its eight active volcanoes.
