SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- Costa Rica's most active volcano, Arenal, hacked and coughed on Friday, sending cinders, rocks and ash down its slopes and leading to the evacuation of people living nearby. The volcano, located in northern Costa Rica, began to erupt at 10:55 a.m. local time, and continued for almost two hours, said volcano monitoring organization Obsicori.

Close to 100 people living nearby were evacuated, while hundreds of tourists slightly further away were put on alert, Reuters reported.

No victims were reported from the eruption of the 5,298-foot high volcano.

Arenal has frequently erupted since 1968, when it exploded and killed 87 Costa Ricans and destroyed two villages.

Since then the zone surrounding the volcano has become a tourist attraction, as visitors hope to catch a glimpse of nocturnal pyrotechnics.

Nine tourists and a pilot were killed in 1999 when their plane crashed into the side of the volcano.