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Published Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Guanacaste volcano
emitsfive eruptions in two weeks The Volcanological and Seismological Observatory reported the fifth eruption in the last two weeks of the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano located in Guanacaste Province. According to Observatory specialists, on Monday the sensors recorded at 3:28 a.m. an eruption that lasted several minutes. The gas column could not be calculated due to the high cloudiness at the tip of the volcano. However, specialists report that after the main eruption, the sensors continued to record several tremors generated by the volcano.  On April 22, an eruption was registered that lasted a minute or so. The gas column rose 1,500 meters above the height of the crater and 3,416 meters above sea level. In this case, there were no reports of ash falling, or lahar falling into the rivers that flow near the volcano. The seismographs and the infrasound system indicate that small mudflows were registered in the river drains north of the crater. On April 19, the Municipal Emergency Committees, located in the communities near the volcano triggered the state of alert due to the strong eruption registered that day. The eruption began at 10:16 a.m., spewing gases, mud and ash at a recorded 1,500 meters above the height of the crater and 3,416 meters above sea level, reported the Observatory.  The materials released from the crater of the volcano fell into the rivers located on the upper parts of the volcano. People observed the falling of mudflows, so-called lahars, towards the channels of the north wall of the volcano where the Pénjamo, Quebrada Azufrada and Azul rivers are located, said Blas Sánchez, geologist of the National Emergency Commission. According to Sánchez, the volcanic materials are normal in the river flow and will not become a danger since those remain within the currents of the rivers and do not spill out. "It is important that the neighbors report any eventuality and follow all the recommendations given by the Emergency Commission and the rescue authorities ask to not access the river waters and stay away from them," Sánchez said. According to specialists, they had not received reports of ashfall or sulfur smell in the surrounding communities, even after the strong eruption. On April 15 at 3:06 a.m. another eruption was recorded. According to specialists, the high concentration of fog did not allow the recording of the height reached by the gas column for the duration of the eruption which was registered by the earthquake signal instruments. Also, people from nearby communities reported about lahars that fell through the Pénjamo, Quebrada Azufrada and Azul rivers. On April 13, the first eruption of this month was reported, but coincidently an eruption of the Turrialba Volcano, located in Cartago Province was also recorded. In the case of the Turrialba Volcano, high temperatures were recorded and a considerable outflow of gases and steam, according to Guillermo Alvarado of the Commission. The eruption emitted a lot of steam and gas or exhalation activity, which was accompanied by high temperatures, according to Alvarado. This was not an ash eruption. He added that the eruption of gas without ash in the volcano has been normal since 2010. Before this eruption, a 3.3-magnitude earthquake was registered with an epicenter 4.5 km northeast of the Turrialba Volcano which may have been the cause of the outflow of gases, experts said. After the Turrialba shake, an eruption of gas and vapor was reported from Rincón de la Vieja Volcano at 2:50 a.m. In this case, neither the ash fall nor the sulfur smell was reported, the specialists said. Inside the volcano, there was a registered notable shaking with variable amplitude and occasional low-frequency and low-amplitude volcanic earthquakes. "Significant degassing was observed at the top, with a column of gas and water vapor rising to 500 meters. There is no significant deformation of the volcano's walls," reported specialists from the Observatory. Costa Rica has active volcanoes, which is why it is important to be alert, have an emergency plan, know evacuation routes and safe places in case of a volcanic eruption, recommended the specialists of the Emergency Commission. Since January more Rincón de La Vieja Volcano eruptions were registered, making the National Emergency Commission declare a green alert. It was mainly for the districts of Aguas Claras and Dos Ríos, both communities of the canton of Upala located in Guanacaste, due to the eruption of the nearby volcano. Authorities call on people in the communities surrounding the volcano to report to 911 any unusual situation in the volcano. Also, they were advised to follow the recommendations of the Emergency Commission of the local communities. Access to the volcanoes remains closed due to continuous eruptions. --------------------- Should the authorities develop evacuation drills in the communities nearest to those two volcanoes? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com |
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