The stratovolcano Tungurahua (from Quichua tunguri - throat, and rahua - fire), located in the Cordillera Oriental of the Andes of central Ecuador, 140km south of Quito, has restarted its activity on August 19, 1999, and is ongoing as of 2013, with several major eruptions since that period, the last starting on 15 July 2013. With its elevation of 5,023 m, Tungurahua just over tops the snow line, so its top is snow covered and did feature a small summit. Its eruptions are strombolian, accompanied by strong explosions, pyroclastic flows and sometimes lava flows.
Tungurahua is one of the two active volcanoes from Sangay National Park, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, because "illustrates the entire spectrum of ecosystems, ranging from tropical rainforests to glaciers, with striking contrasts between the snowcapped peaks and the forests of the plains". In 1992, it was added to the List of World Heritage in Danger due to illegal poaching, extensive grazing, unplanned road construction and encroachment of the park's perimeter, but it was removed from the list in 2005.
About the stamps
The first stamp, circular, is part of the series Aircraft in Ecuador, issued on February 8, 2013, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of TAME Airline of Ecuador. It contain eight circular stamps with the same value (0.25 USD), depicting aircraft that have been used by TAME over its history:
• DC3
• DC - 6B
• Avro 748
• Electra II
• Boeing 727-200
• Embraer E -Jets (190)
• Airbus A320 - It's on the postcard 0826
• ATR 42 - 500
The second stamps was issued on June 28, 2013, to commemorate 25 years since the launching of the first Ecuadorian satellite, Pegasus.
The following three stamps form the series Active Volcanoes, issued on 2013, all withe the same face value (0.25 USD):
• Chimborazo - it's on this postcard
• Cotopaxi - it's on this postcard
• Tungurahua - it's on this postcard
References
Tungurahua - Wikipedia
Sangay National Park - UNESCO official website
Sender: Ben / benalvarez (postcrossing) US-2419682
Sent from ? (Ecuador), on 18.09.2013
Photo: Alois Speck
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