NASA’s Earth Observatory web site has a good satellite image of the Tungurahua Volcano, which is presently erupting in Ecuador:

The description of this eruption from geology.com/news:

Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador has been erupting or restless for the past several months. Lava flows and pyroclastics have blanketed much of the surrounding landscape, forced evacuations of many villages, dammed the Chambo River and caused numerous fatalities and injuries.

Tungurahua is one of the most active volcanoes in Ecuador, but many people decided to live on it’s flanks because of the rich soils and mild temperatures. The price for this has been abandonment of property and the risk of injury or death.

A few thoughts:

• This could have easily been one of several Cascade Range volcanoes that are in a similar geologic setting: Lassen, Shasta, Hood, Rainier, Adams, and others. Some time in the upcoming decades, it will be.
• Images such as this have transformed our ability to quickly assess hazards and damage from natural disasters.
• There are real people in the villages around this volcano, experiencing loss of life, jobs, crops, livestock, and property.
• A question for thought: are volcanoes evil?

Grace and Peace