Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano erupted early Tuesday, hurling fiery rocks and sending up a column of ash that showered the capital 80 kilometers (50 miles) away, authorities said.

A surveillance camera trained on the volcano captured the eruption, The National University's observatory said.

The video images showed the expulsion of "very hot rocks" with ash and gasses that dispersed into the atmosphere.

An eruption of the 3,340-meter (10,960 foot) volcano in early March forced the closure of Costa Rica's main airport for nearly two days.

The Turrialba volcano, which became active in the 1990s after being dormant for 130 years, has been in a state of heightened activity since a powerful eruption on October 29.