Nicaragua volcano Telica spews ash

The Telica volcano in north-west Nicaragua has been spewing large clouds of ash.

There have been more than 60 explosions since it started erupting on Thursday, covering nearby towns in a dusting of ash.

The 1,061m-high (3,475ft) volcano, one of Nicaragua's most active, is located 110km (68 miles) north-west of the capital, Managua.

The Telica is a popular destination for tourists and hikers.

A group of visitors captured footage of one of the recent eruptions close up.

The nearby towns of El Realejo, Corinto, Posoltega and Chichigalpa reported a fine dusting of ash falling following the eruptions.

Residents said they were "alarmed" by the series of eruptions but so far no evacuation orders have been issued.

Francisco Jose Caballero, who lives 12km from the volcano, told Nicaragua's Nuevo Diario newspaper that it was a "horrible situation".

"We're very worried because the tremors and gas explosions have become more frequent and we're all fearing that there could be an eruption any moment," the 63-year-old said.

An official with Nicaragua's Territorial Studies Institute said there was currently no risk of the eruptions getting worse.