Watch El Salvador Volcano Erupt For First Time In Nearly Two Decades [VIDEO]

The Chaparrastique volcano in eastern El Salvador erupted on Sunday for the first time in 37 years, spurring the evacuation of at least 2,214 nearby residents as it spewed gas and ash several miles up into the air. Univision reports that Jorge Meléndez, director of the country’s Civil Defense department, told El Salvadorian media that the residents within 3 kilometers of the volcano had been evacuated to 13 temporary shelters after the eruptions began, adding that some people had remained holed up in their houses with family or friends and lamented that “there are many people who haven’t left the area despite having been directed” to do so.

The Independent writes that over 5,000 people live near the volcano, according to Civil Defense. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported, though two people have been hospitalized for respiratory problems. El Salvadorian President Mauricio Funes said during an address to the nation that new eruptions were not certain, but added that “we can’t rule out that possibility either”. The Salvadorian Ministry of Natural and Environmental Resources, which declared a yellow alert on Sunday, says that the volcano has continued to expel gas and vapor, though less violently, and adds that ash from the initial explosion could reach neighboring Honduras.

CNN reports that in the capital of San Salvador, the international airport has redirected some flights to other airports – including in Guatemala – in order to avoid potential hazards caused by volcanic ash. Several airlines have also canceled flights due to arrive in San Salvador, including one, Avianca airlines, which canceled 33. The volcano, which is about 7,000 feet high, is one of eight active volcanos in the country. It’s considered the most active of them all, with 26 eruptions in the last 500 years.