Plan is supporting emergency measures to help the thousands of people affected by the eruption of Tungurahua in Ecuador.

The volcanic blast of lava, stones and ash on 17 August has devastated communities in the provinces of Chimborazo, Tungurahua and Bolivar – leaving five people dead.

A cloud of ashes reached up to 10km in height and covered the central part of Ecuador, from the coast in the west to the borders of Peru in the east.

Although the areas Plan works in are not the most affected, all 116 of the communities we work with in the Bolivar and Chimborazo provinces are covered in 1-2cms of ash. Some areas near the volcano, 130kms south of the capital Quito, are covered in 10cms of ash.

Hundreds of families have lost their houses, animals and land. It is likely that all of the harvest has been lost and thousands of farm animals will die. Water supplies may also be contaminated.

Emergency action

Plan, as part of the Committee for Emergency Operations - which includes the Red Cross, municipalities and Ministry of Health, is evaluating the needs of the population so that it can provide appropriate emergency relief and long-term support.

Plan is currently helping communities by:

• supplying emergency medicines
• equipping schools with first aid kits
• handing out breathing masks to help prevent respiratory diseases caused by ash
• supplying protective eye goggles
• providing protection for water sources.