No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaExplosion at Rincón de la Vieja Volcano spews vapor, gases into the...

Explosion at Rincón de la Vieja Volcano spews vapor, gases into the air

Rincón de la Vieja Volcano recorded a strong explosion of hot water, vapor, gases and mud that, according to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI), began at around 10:12 a.m. on Tuesday.

Expelled materials were visible on the north slope of the volcano, located some 270 kilometers (167 miles) northwest of San José in the province of Guanacaste.

Residents of the nearby community of Upala reported hearing a loud sound during the explosion, similar to that of a jet turbine. Mud and other materials from the volcano also fell on the Penjamo River and changed the water color, OVSICORI report stated.

The National Seismological Network reported that a seismic monitoring station located south of the volcano recorded a tremor associated with the explosion that lasted for about a minute and a half.

Blas Sánchez Ureña, a geologist at the National Emergency Commission, said in a news release at approximately 3 p.m. that the commission had not received any reports of damage from nearby communities.

Rincón de la Vieja is one of Costa Rica’s active volcanoes, along with Turrialba, Poás, Irazú, Miravalles and Arenal.

Its most recent activity occurred last year with similar vapor and gas explosions. On March 9, 2016, local residents told OVSICORI experts that ash had fallen on the roofs of their homes, mainly in communities north of the crater in Upala and Buenos Aires.

Penjamo river, Guanacaste.
(Via OVSICORI)

Trending Now

UN Experts Warn of Possible Nicaraguan Government Role in Exile’s Murder in Costa Rica

A team of UN human rights experts said Tuesday that involvement by the Nicaraguan government in the killing of retired major Roberto Samcam cannot...

Costa Rica Rescues Endangered Amphibians and Turtles in Store Bust

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), through its Specialized Section Against Environmental Crimes, carried out an operation at a store in Vázquez de Coronado, San...

El Salvador at Center of Controversial U.S.-Venezuela Detainee Exchange

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele received the 10 Americans exchanged on Friday between Washington and Caracas for 252 Venezuelans who had spent four months in...

Cosby Show Star Malcolm-Jamal Warner Dies in Costa Rica Drowning Accident

Malcolm-Jamal Warner passed away at 54 from an accidental drowning. He gained fame as Theo Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," playing the son in...

Costa Rica Reports Surge in Human Trafficking Cases

The General Directorate of Immigration (DGME) has reported 36 confirmed victims of human trafficking for commercial or sexual purposes in Costa Rica during the...

Costa Rican Economists Raise Alarm Over U.S. Cash Transfer Tax

In 2026, the U.S. government will impose a 1% tax on cash remittances sent from the United States to Latin America. Electronic transfers will...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica