Quito, Apr 5 (RHC), – The active Tungurahua volcano in central Ecuador has erupted, spewing a huge plume of ash, smoke and steam up to 10 kilometers into the sky, officials say.

Ecuador's Geophysics Institute said the volcano erupted three times over the weekend, sending molten rocks and large clouds of gas and ash into the sky 90 miles (140 kilometres) south of the capital, Quito.

A five-minute explosion was heard on Friday that shot pyroclastic material onto its northern and northwestern flanks, the institute added.

The 5,000-meter Tungurahua, whose name means “Throat of Fire” in the local language, has been classified as active since 1999, leading to the evacuation of about 250,000 people.

After a long period of peaceful resting, the volcano has experienced a recent increase in moderate seismic activity.