QUITO, Oct 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An avalanche on a snow-capped Ecuadoran volcano killed at least four climbers and injured a fifth, officials said.
The avalanche struck a group of about a dozen mountaineers while at an altitude of 6,100m on the dormant Chimborazo volcano, Ecuador’s highest peak, in the central Andean region, the ECU911 security service said.
“The existence of four dead people (and) one injury is confirmed,” the agency said, adding that “an avalanche struck the group.”
It did not identify the climbers or their nationalities, but the peak attracts both Ecuadoran and foreign nationals.
Rescuers as well as police and military personnel specialised in high-elevation operations set up a command centre at Chimborazo to coordinate operations.
The volcano, which rises 6 263m above sea level, is covered in snow and glaciers year-round and is located about 130km south of Quito.
Ecuador’s Environment Ministry temporarily closed the surrounding Chimborazo nature reserve, which is popular with tourists. Despite the volcano’s constant snow, it is not frequented by skiers.
The volcano has seen a number of deadly accidents in recent decades.
In 2003, the remnants of an Ecuadoran plane that crashed in 1976 with 59 people on board were found by climbers about 700m from the summit. The plane had collided with a stone wall on Chimborazo, and had been covered by an avalanche.
In 2015, the remains of three climbers, believed to have disappeared 20 to 30 years ago, were discovered at about 5 500m.
And in 1994 an avalanche left 10 people dead, including one Swiss and six French nationals.
Chimborazo last erupted sometime between the beginning of the 5th and end of the 7th century, according to the Geophysical Institute of Quito, which said the interval between eruptions is approximately 1,000 years.
The volcano’s ice-capped summit, steep slope and its location near populated areas, such as the towns of Riobamba and Ambato, make it a high-risk area, according to the institute. — NNN-AGENCIES
