Thousands of people in El Salvador coffee-producing region are on the run from their homes after the eruption of the Chaparrastique volcano, which nearby residents and prompting authorities to order evacuations in the area. 

Residents say they heard a powerful explosion before Chaparrastique began spewing hot ash and smoke into the air.  Authorities say that so far, no one has been hurt, but some 300 communities within a three-kilometer radius will be evacuated.  That comes out to about 5,000 people in San Miguel province.

“The evacuations began almost right after the explosion,” said civil protection official Armando Vividor.

The regional airport reported delays because of the eruption.  And the local coffee growers union reports that the stench of sulfur was in the air and heavy ash was falling in the area.  Coffee plantations would be checked for damage.

El Salvador has 23 active volcanoes and the Chaparrastique volcano is considered one of the most active, with 26 eruptions in the last 500 years, the environment ministry said.  In a 1976 eruption, lava gushed from the volcano and it shook violently in another event in 2010.