Ecuador's president calls for calm as evacuations underway around Cotopaxi Volcano

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa gave the order on Saturday to evacuate communities to the south of Cotopaxi Volcano, as the colossus continued to belch columns of ash high into the sky.

In his weekly report, Correa informed the nation that the volcano had increased its activity Friday. The country's second highest peak at 5,897m, Cotopaxi belched forth pyroclastic flows, or rapid streams of rock and gas that swiftly make their way down the slopes of a volcano and can pose a threat to human life.

"For the moment, nothing has happened. There have been no lahars, no glacier thaws, but there could be," announced the president, who ordered the preventative evacuation of the communities of Mulalo and Lasso to the south, as well as areas along the Cutuchi river, which crosses the city of Latacunga, capital of Cotopaxi province.

He added that, as time passes, he would announce whether it is necessary to evacuate people from other areas to the north of the volcano. Correa also called for calm and indicated that Cesar Navas, the coordinating minister for security, would be the country's official source of information concerning the volcano.

The president said a state of emergency has been declared concerning Cotopaxi. Since Friday, the volcano has registered a number of small eruptions, sending up gouts of ash that have fallen around the massif and in the southern part of Quito.

The state of emergency will allow the government to tap up additional funds and personnel in case of an emergency.

A yellow alert is also in place for Cotopaxi, as the volcano is covered by glaciers, with an eruption potentially leading to thaws, avalanches, lahars and floods.

"There could potentially be high material damages, but the most important thing is to minimize, and hopefully avoid, all loss of life. We have to be ready," he concluded.

Authorities have been preparing a number of contingency plans, including temporary lodging and emergency relief kits for those being evacuated.

According to the country's Geophysics Institute, the volcano has been presenting anomalies, including an increase in seismic activity, since June. Enditem