Ecuador volcano spews ash more than 5 kilometres into the air

A man walks on rocks and ashes spewed by the Tungurahua volcano in the outskirts of the village of Cusua, Tungurahua province, Ecuador, Sunday July 14, 2013. Ecuador has issued an orange alert, the second-highest warning level, for towns near the volcano as its level of activity rose and at least 200 people were evacuated from the area, civil defense authorities said.(AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

QUITO, Ecuador -- Authorities in Ecuador say at least 200 people have been evacuated from near the Tungurahua volcano after it spewed an ash plume more than 5 kilometres into the air.

The regional director of the National Risk Management Secretariat, Lourdes Mayorga, says the explosion produced ash and pyroclastic flows, and could be felt hundreds of kilometres away.

She said Sunday that at least 200 people were evacuated from the zones of Cusua, Chacauco and Juive near the volcano.

Authorities declared an orange alert, which allows officials to acquire the goods and carry out works to provide humanitarian assistance if needed.

Tungurahua has been active for more than 13 years. The 5,023-meter volcano is located about 135 kilometres southeast of the capital, Quito.