April 19, 2016 - MEXICO - The Popocatépetl volcano in Mexico erupted overnight, sending lava flying as far as a mile away from the mountain.
The Puebla airport, directly east of the volcano, has been
closed and officials are urging residents to wear masks and avoid
inhaling ash covering the city.
There are approximately 25 million people who live within 62 miles, or 100 kilometers, of the active volcano.
The eruption of the 17,797-foot stratovolcano, the second highest peak
in Mexico, began around 2:30AM, sending ash almost two miles into the
sky.
Popocatépetl is the most active volcano in the country, with documented
eruptions dating back to the arrival of the Spanish in 1519.
WATCH: Popocatepetl erupts.
It has been
active since 1991, after being dormant for approximately half a
century.
Since 1993, smoke has constantly billowed from the crater.
The most recent eruption was April 3, just 15 days ago.
The name Popocatépetl is derived from the Nahuatl words popōca 'it
smokes' and tepētl meaning 'mountain,' translating to Smoking Mountain.
Among locals, it is commonly referred to as El Popo. - Sputnik.
April 5, 2016 - MEXICO - A video has emerged of the spectacular eruption of Mexico’s Popocatepetl
volcano, Sunday, showcasing the explosion as it lit up the night sky,
throwing lava and ash high into the air.
The Popocatepetl volcano, located in central Mexico, erupted at
20:31 p.m. local time, with smoke and ash rising to a height of 2,000
meters (6,562ft), according to Mexico’s National Disaster Prevention
Center.
— Webcams de México (@webcamsdemexico) April 4, 2016
A large dome of lava, formed in January, was destroyed during the recent explosions, leaving a new inner crater in its place.Rocks were also swept into the sky to an altitude of 3,500 meters (11,483ft).
Popocatepetl,
also known as “Don Goyo”, located about 80km (50 miles) southeast of
Mexico City, is one of the country's most-active volcanoes, erupting 15
times since records began.
WATCH: Extraordinary eruption of the Popocatepetl volcano.
Situated in the eastern half of the
Trans-Mexican volcanic belt, the volcano is the second highest peak in
Mexico, standing at more than 5,181 meters (17,000ft). - RT.
March 28, 2016 - MEXICO - Mexico's Popocateptl volcano came to life Sunday morning, spewing a roughly 2,000 metre- high column of gas and ash in central Mexico. The eruption occurred at (1661 GMT).
Local officials have encouraged locals to cover their noses and mouths with a moist towel. A (7.5 mile-) security ring around the volcano has been mandated, preventing passage close to the crater.
Popocatepetl's last major eruption was 2000, when more than 40,000 people had to evacuate.
Mexico contains over 3,000 volcanos but only 14 are considered active.
Popocateptl Volcano is located some (43 miles) southeast of Mexico City.
February 8, 2016 - COSTA RICA - On Saturday afternoon, geologists at the Observatory on Volcanology and
Seismology at the National University of Costa Rica (Spanish acronym:
OVSICORI) reported a new eruption at the Turrialba Volcano, the most
active colossus in their country.
The volcanic event took place about ten minutes before 2:00 pm during a warm, yet extremely windy, afternoon.
The seismographic sensors of the OVSICORI began stirring after 1:50 pm,
at which time the scientists on duty activated their crater cameras to
capture the eruption.
In the beginning, the eruption was mostly a slow emanation of volcanic ash and noxious gases.
About ten minutes into the natural event, a more powerful ejection
occurred and a solid plume formed about 500 meters into the air.
Thanks to the crisp weather conditions and the clear-blue afternoon
skies, the eruption on the western crater was visible from the summit of
the nearby Irazu volcano.
Chemistry experts at the OVSICORI combined their observations with data
from the Institute of Meteorology to provide a forecast of where the ash
clouds were headed yesterday.
To this effect, they used the AERMOD atmospheric dispersion
modeling system to create a forecast that indicated a northwesterly
direction high over Guapiles and passing over most of the Heredia
province on municipal elections day.
Some ash fell on the vegetation and crops of the massive Finca La Picada
farm near the volcano. Elsewhere, a strong smell of sulfur was detected
by neighbors in Concepcion de Heredia.
As previously reported by The Costa Rica Star, past activity
from the Turrialba has disrupted daily life with school and airport
closures as well as diminished farming operations; nonetheless, that
does not seem to be the case at this time.
The National Committee on Emergencies has kept a yellow alert active
through most of the Turrialba Volcano National Park to dissuade tourists
and unauthorized personnel from coming close to the crater. - The Big Wobble.
February 6, 2016 - MEXICO - Popocatepetl
volcano record in the last 17 hours of low intensity exhalations
accompanied by steam and gas, and vulcanotectónico earthquake with
preliminary magnitude of 1.7, according to the National Center for
Disaster Prevention (Cenpared).
Also three explosions of low intensity, the most important at 3:32 pm on Saturday, which produced an ash column height of about 800 meters (2,624 feet) above the crater, moving east.
According to the latest report monitoring body within the Ministry of Interior, during yesterday Friday a continuous emission of steam and gas was observed.
Meanwhile, as of this morning and so far this report has been a slight emission of steam and gas that spread east winds.
The Cenapred urged not to approach the volcano, especially the crater, the danger of falling ballistic fragments, so that the traffic light Volcanic Alert remains at Yellow Phase 2.
At this stage the planned scenarios are to continue small-scale explosive activity at intermediate, rains of ash mild to moderate in nearby towns to register, and the possibility of pyroclastic flows and mudflows short range.
WATCH: Spectacular eruption at Popocatepetl volcano.
Therefore recommended to continue the established safety radius 12 kilometers, so stay in that area is not permitted, as well as maintaining the controlled transit between San Pedro and Santiago Xalitzintla Nexapa via Paso de Cortes.
A Civil Protection authorities suggested to keep their preventive procedures, according to their operational plans, and the public to be alert to the official information disseminated. - El Economista. [Translated]
January 24, 2016 - MEXICO - Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano sent steam, gas and ash hundreds of meters
into the sky on Friday, January 22, after increased volcanic activity
led to multiple explosions.
Thousands of people living in the states of
Puebla and Morelos, near the volcano, have been put on evacuation alert
WATCH: Massive eruption at Popocatepetl volcano.
Colima volcano also sent plumes of ash, gas and debris into the
Mexican air on January 23, during several eruptions, according to the Mexican Disaster Prevention Center.
Saturday’s eruptions follows a week-long of volcanic activity, which
has seen an evacuation warning issued to neighbouring populated areas.
Video footage of the erupting volcano this week. EYEWITNESSNEWS
January 23, 2016 - MEXICO - The Popocatépetl volcano, just 35 miles from Mexico City and only 20
miles from nearby city Peubla sent a mile high plume of ash into the
air, putting thousands of people living within 10 miles of it on a
yellow alert to be ready to evacuate should activity increase.
The Mexican capital is the world’s fourth most populated city and home to 20 million people, while Peubla has more than 6 million people living there, and all could be at risk in both cites in the event of a catastrophic eruption.
The volcano alert follows fears earlier this month that a second large volcano in Mexico - the 3,850 metres-high Colima in western Mexico - could be about to face a large scale eruption for the first time in 100 years.
This image of Popocatépetl at night shows how many people live around the fire mountain. GETTY
Thousands of people were placed on an evacuation warning this week. EYEWITNESSNEWS
Popocatépetl last saw a major eruption in 2000, but early warnings saw 41,000 people evacuated in advance, averting a major disaster.
In 2005 it had a minor eruption, but activity has been increasing since 2012, with this week's some of the most notable, prompting officials to issue the warning.
If the volcano experienced a massive eruption, an estimated nine million people would be in the blast zone and the impact on the atmosphere could be catastrophic.
Popocatépetl has erupted more than 20 times since 1519, according to records.
The glacier-covered peak is 5,426 metres-high.
WATCH: Popocatepetl erupts.
Meanwhile Colima experienced a saw an ash cloud of 1.8 miles high expelled earlier this month.
This also put locals on standby for evacuations immediately afterwards.
A local report on wired.com said: "Two Mexican volcanoes have been increasingly active.
"Popocatépetl produced a number of explosions as lava reaches the surface at the active vent, as evidenced by incandescence spotted at the volcano’s summit.
"Most of the explosions produced ash-rich plumes that reached hundreds of meters over the volcano,
"Some officials are saying that there is a heightened danger of a large explosive eruption from Colima because it has been over 100 years since that last large eruption.
"The heightened explosive activity at Colima has prompted preparations for evacuations if the restlessness continues or increases."
The warnings come after two eruptions of significant volcanoes the same day on Tuesday.
Angry mountain: Colima has been stirring over recent years. GETTY
It was before officials in Russia had to cancel flights near the Zhupanovsky volcano on Russia's eastern coast after it spewed lava FIVE MILES into the air, also on Tuesday.
Although the two volcanoes are separated by around 3,000 miles, they are on interconnected tectonic plates – sparking fears of a major seismic shift, more volcanic activity and even earthquakes and tsunamis, due to recent activity.
Volcanoes are also more likely from November to April in the northern hemisphere when ice, rain and snowfall can compress the bedrock.
Research said the world should expect a major catastrophic volcanic eruption in the next 50 to 80 years, but we are woefully unprepared for the fallout. - Express.
January 11, 2016 - RUSSIA - The Shiveluch volcano in Russia's Kamchatka erupted once again on Sunday, as the volcano's activity continues to grow,potentially leading to a major eruption.
The Shiveluch volcano in Russia's Kamchatka territory woke up on Sunday
morning local time, releasing a plume seven kilometers up in the
atmosphere, the Kamchatka Branch of the Russian Academy of Science's
Geophysical Service said.
The Shiveluch volcano released ash plumes throughout 2015, at
times releasing enough ash to carpet nearby towns. The new eruption led
the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) to issue an orange
warning, meaning that while a major eruption is not imminent, it is
nevertheless a danger to aircraft.
"According to video data, explosions sent ash up to 7 km [above sea
level] on 2153 UTC on January 09. The ash plume extended to the
west-northwest of the volcano," the warning issued by KVERT said.
The volcano continues to erupt, according to the response team.
Seismologists have previously predicted that the volcano's activity
would continue to rise over time.
"Explosive-extrusive eruption of the volcano continues. Ash explosions
up to 32,800 ft (10 km) [above sea level] could occur at any time.
Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft,"
the KVERT warning also said. - Sputnik.
January 10, 2016 - EARTH - A volcanic eruption with the potential to “return humanity to a
pre-civilization state” could happen within the next 80 years, according
to a study by the European Science Foundation.
Have we now heard the
last argument in the debate the study triggered?
Authors of the Extreme Geohazards: Reducing the Disaster Risk and Increasing Resilience say the threat from low-probability, high impact disasters is being “grossly underestimated”.
Presented to the European Geosciences Union General Assembly last April, the study looks at the extreme impacts of natural hazards like earthquakes, tsunamis, extreme weather and volcanoes.
It states that “extreme volcanic eruptions pose a higher associated risk than all other natural hazards” including asteroid impacts.
But it’s the mention of a centuries old super volcano in Indonesia
that has people questioning whether the world’s population is about to
be annihilated in a cloud of ash and molten lava in the not too distant
future.
The report appears to indicate there is 5-10
percent chance of large scale volcanic activity happening before the end
of the century.
The probability is mentioned in a
section on significant volcanic eruptions, like the Lake Toba eruption
74,000 years ago, and the 1815 Tambora eruptions during the current
Holocene period.
It has led to numerous reports that the earth is in the midst of a volatile ‘volcano season’ – a ‘ticking time bomb’ period that could see supervolcanoes in places like Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming erupt and kill millions.
However, there are questions over whether "volcano season" really exists outside the world of catchy headline writing.
While the geohazard study acknowledges large volcanic eruptions “have the potential to trigger global disaster and catastrophe”, ESF scientists make no mention of “volcano season” and only reference “supervolcanic” activity once in a table showing eruption classification.
There is also no specific prediction of Yellowstone blowing its lid.
Speaking to the International Business Times Rebecca Williams, volcanologist at the University of Hull said there is “no such thing” as "volcano season".
“There is no more volcanism at the moment than there is normally. Rather, there seems to be more interest in reporting small volcanic eruptions and a better-connected world means we know more about eruptions around the world.
WATCH: Why the Yellowstone Supervolcano's next eruption could be huge.
“There has been talk about Yellowstone erupting and killing everyone but this is nonsense. There is no scientific data that suggest an eruption is likely to occur in the near future,” she said.
Volcanologist at the University of Oxford, David Pyle has echoed his colleagues response, saying the “jury is still ‘out’” on whether volcano season is real.
WATCH:New Study - Yellowstone Volcano Could WIPE OUT TWENTY AMERICAN STATES!
He suggested any supposed increase in eruptions is likely down to technology spotting previously undetected activity. - RT.
January 9, 2016 - HAWAII, UNITED STATES - For the third time in six days, a small explosion rocked the summit of Kilauea volcano.
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports a rockfall on the east rim of the summit vent within the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater triggered a small explosive event at 3:51 a.m. HST on January 8, 2016, littering the rim of the crater with fragments of molten lava.
The event was captured on USGS cameras and can be seen in the video below.
WATCH: Explosion at Kilauea.
“When large rockfalls impact the lava lake, they trigger explosive events that propel volcanic rock fragments (tephra) upward,” scientists wrote on the HVO website. “This morning’s event was vigorous enough to hurl incandescent fragments onto the rim of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, about 110 m (360 ft) above the lava lake surface.”
USGS HVO says rockfalls and subsequent explosive events occur with no warning, “and the resulting fragments of hot lava and rocky debris thrown onto the crater rim pose a significant hazard in this area.”
WATCH: Kilauea's lava flow.
The lava lake in Halemaʻumaʻu has been at a relatively high level in recent days. At one point the lava level reached up to 92 feet below the floor of the crater.
“Explosive events like this occur more frequently when the lava lake
level is relatively high,” HVO scientists said, “as it has been this
past week—around 30-35 m (100-115 ft) below the vent rim. Rocks in the
vent wall expand as they are heated by the high temperature of the lava
lake and become unstable. Sections of these unstable rocks can then
collapse into the lava lake.”
“The rim of Halemaʻumaʻu Crater was covered in a nearly continuous blanket of tephra following today’s early morning rockfall and subsequent explosive event,” scientists wrote of the photo abpve. “Tephra is the general term for volcanic rock fragments exploded or carried into the air during an eruption, and can range from dust-size particles to fragments more than 1 m (3.2 ft) in diameter. Two backpacks (in background), which belong to HVO scientists who briefly entered the area to collect tephra samples for laboratory analyses, provide scale for the fragments hurled onto the crater rim this morning.”
In this image, HVO points out “you can see what remains of the Halemaʻumaʻu Overlook wooden fence, which has been repeatedly been bombarded by spatter and rock fragments since 2008. The blue bucket attached to the fence is one of HVO’s tephra collectors so that lava fragments and rocky debris ejected from the summit vent can be quantified and analyzed.”
On January 2, the first of the three events was documented by USGS HVO cameras (video below). On Janury 4, a second rockfall explosion took place.
Volcano Explosion Jan. 2, 2016Volcano Explosion (Jan. 2, 2016) At around 2:17 p.m., HST, on January 2, a rockfall from the east rim of the Overlook vent within Halemaʻumaʻu Crater at the summit of Kīlauea impacted the lava lake, generating a small explosive event captured by HVO webcams. (courtesy USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory)
Posted by Big Island Video News on Monday, January 4, 2016
December 21, 2015 - RUSSIA - Lava descending from the Shiveluch volcano in Russia's Far East has
raised columns of ash up to five kilometers above the sea level,
scientists from the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)
told TASS on Monday.
"The volcano continues erupting. Lava has descended today from the top
of the Young Shiveluch. Columns of ash were raised up to five kilometers
above the sea level," scientists said adding that there is no threat to
settlements in the area.
The ash cloud is drifting to the east and south-east, with the plume covering the area of around 15 kilometers.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry's department in the Kamchatka region said that no ash falls were reported in the area.
An orange alert was issued over the eruption of the Shiveluch which can
spew ash up to 10 kilometers above the sea level at any moment.
Airlines
that fly near the Shiveluch are recommended to change their routes.
There are over 150 volcanos on the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia's Far
East, and up to 30 of them are active.
The Shiveluch is located some 450 kilometers (280 miles) to the
north-east of the Kamchatka Peninsula's largest city of
Petropavlovsk-Kamchhatsky with the population of over 181,600 people.
However, nearest residential areas are located within the distance of 50
kilometers (31 miles) from the Shiveluch, which had been regularly
spewing out ash since 1980s. - TASS.
December 17, 2015 - RUSSIA - A volcano in Russia's Kamchatka region has spewed ashes, covering a
local village with a thin layer of soot, the Emergency Situations
Ministry said on Wednesday, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
The ash cloud from the Shiveluch Volcano reached 6,500 meters above sea
level, the ministry said in a statement, RIA Novosti reported.
The
volcano is 3,283 meters high.
Winds carried ashes nearly 50 kilometers east of the volcano, reaching
the village of Ust-Kamchatsk, where a 1-millimeter layer of ash fallout
was registered, the report said.
The incident presented no hazards to local residents' health, the report said. - The Moscow Times.
December 13, 2015 - MEXICO - According to reports from the National Disaster Prevention Center (Cenapred), Popocatepetl volcano registered in the past 28 hours exhalations of low intensity, as well as 14 explosions which produced a slight increase in emissions of water vapor and gas.
The biggest blast occurred yesterday at 19:27 hours and was accompanied by the expulsion of incandescent fragments that were deposited over short distances on the volcano's slopes.
According to the latest report monitoring body within the Ministry of Interior, during Friday night intense glow that grew when the most important events was observed. - Starmedia.
Photo: Cenapred
According to the last report of National Disaster Prevention Center (Cenapred), the monitoring system of Popocatepetl volcano registered 9 low-intensity exhalations and 15 explosions in the last 24 hours.
A low-amplitude harmonic tremor was totaling 72 minutes, was also reported.
Over the crater incandescence was observed at night.
Continuous emissions of steam and gas heading to the north-northeast were seen during the day, also.
An ash explosion at Turrialba Volcano lasted for about 10 minutes, the University of Costa Rica’s National Seismological Network reported. (Via RSN/UCR)
December 9, 2015 - COSTA RICA - Costa Rica’s Turrialba Volcano, located 50 kilometers east of San José, erupted at 1:12 p.m. on Monday and launched ash and vapor into the air for about 10 minutes, experts with the University of Costa Rica (UCR) and the National University (UNA) reported.
This is the second event this month after another 10-minute explosion recorded on Dec. 7. also spewed ash and gases into the air.
Experts from UNA’s Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) reported the explosion reached just under 400 meters in height.
UCR’s Mauricio Mora at 2:30 reported there were no more explosions. Mora was conducting an inspection in the volcano’s surrounding areas and said experts are evaluating whether the explosion was an isolated event or is part of an eruptive process.
OVSICORI on its website reported that current wind conditions likely would take the ash west, and residents northeast of the capital – such as in Coronado and Sabanilla – could experience ash falling on their roofs and properties.
Turrialba Volcano has seen constant activity that in the past five years has prompted several evacuations of residents and farm animals.
Staff from the National System of Conservation Areas posted a picture of
ash covering one of their vehicles in the community of La Central, on
the outskirts of Turrialba volcano.
November 20, 2015 - INDONESIA - Mount Sinabung in Karo regency, North Sumatra, erupted forcefully once
again on Wednesday and may threaten the opening of the Lake Toba
Festival by Tourism Minister Arief Yahya in Berastagi, also in Karo,
slated for Thursday.
No casualties were reported following the eruption, but pyroclastic
flows drifting to the southeast affected a number of villages that have
long been abandoned by residents. "The current wind direction is
directed to the southwest, but if it blows to the east the Lake Toba
Festival will be disrupted as the spread of ash would reach Berastagi,"
Mt. Sinabung Observation Station staff member Deri Hidayat told The
Jakarta Post.
Deri said the volcano discharged the clouds at 1:47 a.m. and 9:28 a.m.
He added the pyroclastic clouds, which drifted as far as 3.5 kilometers,
affected Bekerah and Simacem villages. He said both villages had long
been left empty as they were inside a designated danger zone. Deri added
that Mt. Sinabung had also emitted volcanic ash to a height of 2,000
meters toward the southwest. He said the spread of ash could disrupt the Lake Toba Festival if the wind changed direction in coming days.
He said volcanic activity could increase within the week, adding that the volcano could discharge a bigger volume of pyroclastic flows and ash. "The biggest eruption took place on Tuesday, when the volcano discharged pyroclastic clouds 13 times, compared to only twice today," said Deri. According to him, the potential for pyroclastic flows remained great due to a lava dome buildup on the southeastern section of the peak. Deri said the lava dome could collapse anytime and trigger huge pyroclastic flows.
Consequently, added Deri, his office had recommended that the
regional administration evacuate human settlements within the danger
zone. When asked for confirmation, Karo Disaster Mitigation Agency
(BPBD) head Matius Sembiring said the eruptions in the last few days
were not of serious concern as ash and other materials would not disturb
the Lake Toba Festival. Matius added his office had measures in place
should the eruption disrupt the festival.
"Hopefully, Mt. Sinabung will not erupt during the Lake Toba Festival in
Berastagi, but should it erupt and disrupt the festival, we have
prepared various steps so the festival will run smoothly," Matius said,
without detailing the measures.
The Lake Toba Festival is scheduled to begin on Thursday afternoon. The
annual festival will run until Sunday and will feature activities
including an ulos (traditional fabric) carnival, vocal contest and
swimming and bodybuilding competitions. The activities are being funded
by the North Sumatra administration and Tourism Ministry at a cost of Rp
3.4 billion (S$350,211).
Since an eruption in September 2013, volcanic activity at Mt. Sinabung
has never entirely ceased. Thousands of residents moved away at that
time, only returning home last month after the volcano showed decreased
activity.
The eruptions have killed at least 17 people and destroyed thousands
of houses and hectares of farmland. A series of eruptions over recent
years has also affected business and tourism activities in Berastagi,
with many traditional market stalls forced to close and events due to be
held in hotels cancelled. - Asia One.
OVSICORI took a selection from a seismograph registered inside Turrialba Volcano's central crater and converted it into a sound file. The effectallows you to "hear" the volcano's sub-audible rumbling.
This particular example was mostly for fun, but Dr. Javier Pacheco, a
seismology expert at OVSICORI, said that the technique had practical
uses for scientists too.
Converting the seismographs into audio files
can help scientists identify variations in the frequency of
seismological activity that would be difficult to identify visually from
the readouts alone, he explained.
Turrialba Volcano has been active during the last several months, closing Juan Santamaría International Airport several times after large eruptions of ash that blew across the Central Valley.
May 10, 2015 - COSTA RICA - At 4:55 a.m. Sunday, ash spilled from the crater of Costa Rica’s Turrialba Volcano for nearly an hour. Though the ash barely left the crater, located about 67 kilometer northeast of the capital San José, the wind carried it into the Central Valley — for the umpteenth time in recent months.
The eruption comes less than a week after the volcano shot a tower of ash 2.5 kilometers into the air, shutting down Juan Santamaría International Airport for the third time since March.
Since Turrialba Volcano re-awoke last October, volcanic ash has dirtied homes, damaged crops and mucked up travel plans. With its frequent eruptions, the volcano has gone from an interesting diversion to a nuisance for nearby residents and visitors.
And experts say the worst is yet to come.
Future eruptions, they say, could jeopardize the health of humans and the environment. They could also cause serious economic damage.
“There is a very high possibility that [the volcano] will reach a higher level of activity,” said Lidier Esquivel, the chief investigator of risk management for the National Emergency Commission (CNE).
Scientists with both the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) and the National Seismological Network (RSN) expect Turrialba’s eruptions to gradually increase over the next few months until the volcano is erupting on a near weekly basis. Scientists have also confirmed that lava has reached the surface.
“The volcano is already throwing lava, it is fragmented lava that is creating the ash,” Guillermo Alvarado, coordinator for volcanic and seismic threats and monitoring for the Costa Rican Electricity Institute, said during a volcano roundtable event last week.
Alvarado said these lava fragments actually create a natural form of glass, which when inhaled can pose serious health risks to both animals and humans. Children, the elderly and people with pre-existing respiratory problems are especially at risk when breathing in ash.
“At this point there have been very few serious health problems to arise, but ash can cause respiratory problems, throat problems and burning in the eyes or skin.” Esquivel said. “As more people are regularly exposed to volcanic ash, we expect to see these problems in a larger portion of the population.”
The ash can also kill plants, contaminate water supplies and damage electronic equipment.
The ash has already done its fair share of damage. Within 5 kilometers of the volcano, ash and acid rain have killed off crops, damaged homes and contaminated rivers. Three schools in the area have been forced to close each time the volcano erupts. And there have been reports of some residents developing respiratory problems.
If conditions continue to worsen, the area may have to be evacuated.
While the immediate vicinity of the volcano is the most vulnerable to ash damage, emergency officials are growing increasingly concerned about the rest of the country.
WATCH: Volcanologists warn possible avalanches of the Turrialba volcano.
“With the right wind, depending on the weather, some of these volcanic episodes will bring ash over San José and the surrounding metropolitan area,” Esquivel said. “This will happen more often if the eruptions increase.”
San José’s greater metropolitan area houses more than half of Costa Rica’s population and virtually all of the country’s industry. According to Esquivel, the city’s high concentration of electronic equipment is at great risk for damage as the presence of ash becomes more frequent.
The National Emergency Commission is preparing for the worst case scenario, where Turrialba’s explosions become much stronger, similar to those of the Irazú volcano in the 1960s, which regularly showered San José with ash.
“We can’t predict with 100 percent certainty what will happen on any given day,” Esquivel said. “All we can do is be prepared.” - Tico Times.
May 6, 2015 - COSTA RICA - Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano belched a column of gas and ash upwards of 6,000ft into the air on Monday (4 May).
An explosion on Monday afternoon lasting 28 minutes emanated from the volcano in central Costa Rica and ash reached parts of the capital San Jose some 30 miles away.
Costa Rica's international airport was reopened on Tuesday morning after the eruption of the nearby volcano blanketed runways with ash, forcing its closure overnight. Ash can affect the safety of flights during take-off and landing as well as damage engines.
The Turrialba volcano spewed thick black clouds of ash into the sky, a volcanologist for the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (Obsivori), Eliecer Duarte, said.
"Yesterday's event at 3.20pm lasted 28 minutes. In 20 minutes the ash spread 6.2 miles and reached the other camera which is in Irazu, towards the south east. It rose vertically more than 6,561ft and spewed different sized material. Some stayed on the summit and other finer material flew distances reaching the central valley."
Last month, the volcano's most powerful eruption in two decades was recorded forcing the evacuation of residents from the surrounding area. - IBT.
WATCH: Costa Rica Turrialba volcano spews out 2 km-high plume of smoke, ash near capital.
The latest eruption of the Turrialba volcano sent a column of ash 6,500 feet into the air. (OVSICORI)
April 23, 2015 - COSTA RICA - Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano
erupted again Tuesday afternoon, producing a column of ash, gas, and
water vapor that reached some 6,500 feet over the volcano's crater,
according to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa
Rica (OVSICORI).
The eruption began at 4:04 p.m. and continued for 22
minutes, according to OVSICORI.
Constant seismic activity has been
recorded at the volcano since Saturday, and local residents have
reported a strong smell of sulfur for the last several days.
San Jose's Tobias Bolanos Airport announced a partial closure of the
airport Tuesday evening due to potential ashfall, but was back to normal
operation by Wednesday morning.
An eruption of similar magnitude most
recently occurred on Tuesday, April 7th.
