By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Tuesday, after the monitoring and evaluation of the Poás volcano, located in the volcanic mountain range in Alajuela*, the Technical Advisory Committee of Volcanology and Seismology recommends that beginning today authorities reopen Poás Volcano National Park to visitors.

According to specialists, on Tuesday, seismic activity in the area returned to normal levels.

There were no records of eruptions of solid materials in recent hours.

As well as, the gases emitted by the volcano have a clear path towards normalization.

However, authorities warn that monitoring will be maintained as a preventive measure for visitors and park guards to guarantee security against another possible eruption.

On Sunday, the Costa Rican Volcanological and Seismological Observatory, known as OVSICORI, reported a continuous steam column rose to 1,000 meters (3,200 feet) above the height of the crater and 3,708 meters (12,165 feet) above sea level.

Due to the steam eruption, as A.M. Costa Rica reported on Monday, the National Emergency Commission ordered the closure of the entrance to the volcano.

On September 19th, park rangers reported an increase in the intensity of acid rain.

According to volcanologists, the gases emanating from the volcano, mainly sulfuric acid, when combined with rain or cloudiness, produces rain that may cause skin irritation.

On June 18th, was registered an eruption that lasted approximately six minutes. However, the height reached by the gas column could not be calculated due to cloudy conditions at the site.

In their report, specialists registered an increase in seismic activity. "In the past week, several volcano-tectonic earthquakes of low amplitude and magnitude less than 2.0 have been registered. This is happening under the crater suggesting fracturing of rock under the Poás crater,” said the specialists.

People in the area reported to the National Emergency Commission that several loud noises were heard and then an erupting column ascending from the crater of Poás was seen, followed by ashfall in the towns of Cajón, San Luis, Los Ángeles, San Miguel, San Isidro, San Roque," said the Commission in its report.

In February, a series of eruptions were reported. And after 24 hours of observation, there was a decrease in seismicity and volcanic gases, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide.

Volcano access was reopened in September 2018 after being closed for 16 months.

According to the Tourism Institute, the country has more than 200 volcanoes formations identified, dating back more than 65 million years. More than 100 of which show signs of active volcanic activity.



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Does tourism suffer when visitors plan to visit Poás Volcano then discover it is closed?  We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com

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