A volcano in El Salvador has begun erupting resulting in evacuations of the area.
El Salvador’s most active volcano, the Chaparrastique shot clouds of gas and ash about three miles into the air on Sunday near the city of San Miguel.
According to Civil Defense Director Jorge Melendez, a yellow alert had been issued and officials have been sent to the area to look for signs of fresh lava, but that none has been detected so far.
In either case, residents have started to leave the area in anticipation of a larger eruption, several people tweeted on Sunday evening.
Even though, many are leaving without being told twice, others refuse to leave their homes, Melendez says.
“We have implemented emergency measures to evacuate villages located within 3 kilometers of the volcano. One has to leave for one’s own safety.”
Eduardo Espinoza, Assistant Health Minister, says there has been two cases of people treated for respiratory problems, possibly connected to the eruption of the volcano in El Salvador.
“We are providing assistance to people evacuating, and we are asking them to protect themselves against the gases, which can affect the respiratory tract,” Espinoza said.
He also urged residents that live near the volcano to avoid drinking from local water sources.
Many are taking to Twitter to post spectacular photos of the eruption of the volcano in El Salvador.
Chaparrastique volcano in El Salvador Sunday – gas and ash shot about 3 miles into the sky! @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/1uMzrROwTZ
— Steve Rudin ABC7 (@SteveRudinABC7) December 30, 2013
#Chaparrastique aming photo from the awake volcano in El Salvador @donlemon pic.twitter.com/pCNofhJbTZ
— Fernando Ruiz (@fruiz1978) December 29, 2013
apparently they got the eruption today of San Miguel volcano in El Salvador on a webcam from the very beggining: http://t.co/w9kcLV0TWq
— Rudiger Escobar Wolf (@rudigerescobar) December 29, 2013
Breaking news the Chaparrastique volcano in San Miguel El Salvador erupted throwing ashes & smoke up in the air. pic.twitter.com/pz6HT9ot8q
— DJ Eddie One (@DJEddieOne) December 29, 2013
The Civil Protection has begun evacuations of families around the volcano in San Miguel, El Salvador. pic.twitter.com/l6IXJ8RMdC
— Yesenia Ramos (@_YeseniaRamos) December 29, 2013
Crazy a volcano is going to erupt in El Salvador I hope it doesn’t but it’s already smoking and spitting ash pic.twitter.com/3gHHzSOSNX
— Spike Leo 9-21 (@El_Flo) December 29, 2013
The Chaparrastique volcano stands at 7,025 feet and is located about 90 miles from El Salvador’s capital of San Salvador near the city of San Miguel, one of the country’s largest cities.
