Volcanic ash rains on central Ecuador, blanketing farms (video)

News.yahoo.com reports:

Ash from Ecuador's Cotopaxi volcano rained down on a dozen villages in the country's central Andean region Saturday, where agricultural output has been marred by a blanket of soot from explosions that began a week ago.

The volcanic activity, which began August 14 after 138 years of silence, continued into Saturday with "steam emissions and a moderate load of ash" the country's Security Ministry said.

From the nearby capital of Quito, home to some 2.3 million Ecuadorans, a gray column two kilometers (1.2 miles) high could be seen billowing above the crater.

The volcano, which towers to 5,897 meters (19,347 feet) high, is considered one of the most threatening in the region -- both because of its size and because it is so close to well-populated towns...