Volcano in Ecuador brings evacuations

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) -- Lava and ash erupted from an Ecuadoran volcano and forced the evacuation of about 300 villagers, a local mayor said Thursday.
An eruption two months ago of the Tungurahua volcano killed four people and left two others missing and still unaccounted for.
"We were able to take them out last night from the most dangerous zones located on the flanks where the explosions occurred Aug. 16," said Juan Salazar, mayor of Penipe, 12 miles from the volcano.
The upper slopes of the volcano have been mostly deserted since August. But Salazar said about 80 families had returned to attempt to farm in the ash-encrusted ground.
"They saw incandescent rocks coming down on the slopes and so they evacuated," he said. No injuries were reported.
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