Ecuador Tungurahua volcano erupts: photos show incredible six-mile-high ash coloumn

The volcano which stands at over 16,000 awakened last month

The Tungurahua volcano spews a column of ash as seen from Ambato, Ecuador, Friday, April 4, 2014. The volcano spewed a 6-mile (10-kilometer) column of ash after a powerful five-minute explosion that shot pyroclastic material onto its northern and northwes (AP Photo)

A volcano in Ecuador spewed a six-mile-high column of ash into the air, during an explosion that last five minutes at 6:10pm local time on Friday.

Yesterday's blast at Tungurahua was followed by a second, four-minute explosion and five lesser tremors, according to Ecuador's geophysics institute.

The 16,480-foot volcano, nearly 90 miles south of the capital Quito, awakened on 1 February.

At the time, the eruptions affected a third of Ecuador's provinces and caused a regional airport to temporarily close.

Tungurahua, often referred to as ‘Throat of Fire’, has been erupting sporadically since 1999. In 2006, a toxic cloud killed four people and left two missing.

The mound lies in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, and is neighboured by seven other active volcanoes in Ecuador.

The area earned its name because of the large number of volcanic eruptions which are triggered by earthquakes.

Additional reporting by