Two minor explosions on Friday at Cotopaxi, located about 70 kilometres south of the capital of Quito, led to a precautionary evacuation of small towns in the centre of country.
The move allows the president to immediately mobilize security forces throughout the country and lets the government block publication of information related to Cotopaxi.
The state of emergency may not exceed 60 days.
Correa said that about 400 people have been voluntarily relocated to shelters after the explosions and expulsion of ash surprised nearby residents on Friday.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ecuado...ency-over-cotopaxi-volcano-activity-1.3192674The last eruption took place in 1940, according to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program.