El Salvador Volcano Activity: 1000 Evacuated

El Salvador's San Miguel volcano, also known as Chaparrastique, began spewing red ash and smoke on Monday. Worried officials evacuated at least 1000 people at the first signs of this activity as a precautionary measure.

El Salvador's Civil Protection Department (CPD) declared a state of alert for the municipality of San Miguel, whose city - one of the largest in the country - is only 30 miles away from the active volcano, The Weather Channel  reports.

Red ash and significant amounts of smoke following a small explosion early Monday morning prompted officials to also evacuate more than 1000 people who live in close proximity to the Chaparrastique volcano. CPD officials now fear a larger explosion from the volcano will occur, according to Time magazine.

The volcano has been worrying El Salvador citizens for some time now, especially after a pair of small eruptions occurred late last year - the first volcanic activity seen in the region in 11 years. Nature World News reported last January that experts were interpreting high levels of gas emissions from the volcano as a sign that the volcano may erupt soon.

Last December in a televised address, President Mauricio of El Salvador warned residents of San Miguel not to rule out the possibility of more eruptions.

Analysis of ash from the December eruptions found that it contained an estimated 80 percent juvenile material, indicating it was created from new magma. New magma rising in the volcano is also an indicator that more activity will follow in the near-future. The red ash from this most recent volcanic activity will likely be analyzed as well as officials stay on guard for potentially larger eruptions.

The volcano known as Chaparrastique is a 7,025-foot tall stratovolcano and is located about 90 miles from El Salvador's Capital, San Salvador.