Villagers fled their homes on Saturday after a volcano in central Ecuador erupted, spewing rocks, gas and ash that prompted officials to issue an alert and order the evacuation of nearby communities.

People living within five miles of the eruption were evacuated, authorities said.

The Tungurahua volcano, which means “Throat of Fire” in Ecuador’s native Quechua language, has been rumbling off and on since seismic activity began to pick up in the area in 1999.