Nicaragua volcano belches ash cloud, residents evacuated

Nicaragua's tallest volcano belched an ash cloud nearly a mile (1.6 km) into the atmosphere , prompting the evacuation of hundreds of nearby residents who heard explosions emanating from its crater.

The 5,725-foot (1,745-metre) San Cristóbal volcano, which sits around 95 miles (150 km) north of the capital Managua in the country's northwest, has been active in recent years, and stirred in mid-2008, when it expelled gas and rumbled with a series of small eruptions.

Government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo said authorities were still assessing the strength of the volcanic activity, and said nearby residents were being evacuated. He said as many as 20,000 people could ultimately be affected by the gas and ash from the volcano.