A volcano erupted in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands, a major tourist attraction, but the nearby main town was left unscathed by lava flows, officials said said Sunday.
The Chico volcano on Isabela island erupted late Saturday with a powerful explosion that spewed rivers of lava and a column of steam 20 kilometers (12 miles) high, the Ecuador Geophysical Institute said.
Residents of the island's main town, Puerto Villamil, 25 kilometers (15 miles) away, felt the explosion, the institute said.
The Galapagos National Park said three lava flows were slowly making their way toward the sea but they did not threaten the town.
The last time the Chico volcano erupted was in 1978, and its lava flows had not endangered inhabitants, officials said.
The Galapagos Islands, an archipelago situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000 kilometers (625 miles) from the South American continent and famed for their rich wildlife, such as giant tortoises, draw tourists from around the world. They were placed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1978.
The most recent volcano eruption in the chain occurred in May on the unpopulated island of Fernandina.
