Ecuadoran Volcano Erupts for the First Time Since the '40s

Ecuador was greeted this morning with a coating of ash from Cotopaxi. This eruption would be its first since explosions rocked the volcano in 1940 and possibly 1942. Today's eruption was quite small—two explosions that rained ash (see below) on the southern edge of Quito. Climbers on Cotopaxi heard the explosions in the early morning hours, both of which happened after earthquake swarms over the past few days.

Ecuadoran officials have also closed Cotopaxi National Park due to the heightened activity.