Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador Spews Red-Hot Rocks, Billows Ash

Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador Spews Red-Hot Rocks, Billows Ash

The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador is spewing out red-hot rocks and billowing coarse ash.

The South American country's Geophysical Institute says the increased activity began Sunday afternoon. It says the volcano has thrown pyroclastic boulders up to a mile from the crater, and there have been at least four earthquakes in the area.

The 16,480-foot (5,023-meter) volcano is in a sparsely populated area about 84 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of Ecuador's capital, Quito. It has been active since 1999. Source