Explosions and emissions increased during the early hours of Monday in Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano, local media reported, citing the country's scientific institute.

The 5,023-meter (16,575-foot) volcano Tungurahua, located in the central Andes region and 87 miles (140 km)south of the capital Quito, remained in "high activity," according to Edwin Viracucha, seismologist from the country's Geophysical Institute.

"This morning the volcano was partially cloudy but at 8:30 local time (1330 GMT) it cleared and we were able to observe vapor emissions headed towards the northwest and then north. They reached an altitude of 1 kilometer and made loud noises," added Viracucha.

Experts are monitoring the Tungurahua volcano after an eruption last week. Ash was then blown five miles (8 km) into the air and was reported to be drifting west. The increase of explosions has led Ecuadorian authorities to reactivate alerts and emergency plans in nearby populations.

The eruption was the latest in a series of moderate to strong explosions at the volcano after a period of relative calm. The first was on July 29, then on Aug. 4, Aug. 19 and Aug. 27.

Tungurahua, which means "Throat of Fire" in the local Quechua language, has been classified as active since 1999. As one of South America's most active volcanoes, it started an eruption process in 1999 and in 2010 its increased activity forced authorities to declare a red alert and temporarily evacuate residents and tourists from the region.

There are more than 50 volcanoes in Ecuador and the most active are Tungurahua, Sangay and Reventador.

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