The National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) has made the decision to temporarily close the Turrialba Volcano said the administrator of the protected wildlife area, Reina Sánchez.
On January 17, a series of eruptions occurred that reached a height between 500 and 1,000 meters above the crater. Part of the eruptive column collapsed in an easterly, northeasterly direction, forming a mass of very hot ash about 500 meters long. This has lead to the decision to raise the warning level from Active to Eruptive.
Here are the 4 stages of a volcano to give some perspective:
Active – A volcano that has had at least 1 eruption in the past 10,000 years.
Erupting – An active volcano that is having an eruption right now (live)
Dormant – Active volcano that is not erupting but is supposed to erupt again.
Extinct – Volcano that has not had an eruption for at least 10,000 years and is not expected to erupt again in a comparable time scale of the future.
The report indicates that the flow reached more than 400 meters towards the east crater, with a maximum thickness of 15 centimeters near the crater, containing rock fragments exceeding 10 centimeters in diameter.
In addition, it should be noted that Monday’s eruptive event has been marked as the most “energetic” of the last two years. Additionally, after the eruption, several minor eruptions were seen.
Furthermore, authorities remind those living near the volcano to abide by the established security protocols and not to enter the national park through areas that are not permitted or are at high volcanic risk.
