The Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) reported that the Rincón de la Vieja volcano erupted this morning.
The institution explained that the volcano located in the province of Guanacaste had two different volcanic eruptions this Tuesday, March 14. The first occurred at 5:30 am and the second at 5:48 am.
“March 14, 2023. #VolcánRincóndelaVieja. Eruptive activity observed during this morning, at 05:30 and 05:48 am,” tweeted OVSICORI.
The institution also shared photos and videos of the activity on its official Twitter and Facebook accounts.
“There is a steam cloud without high ash content and is heading northeast. No ash fall is reported, nor lahars,” OVSICORI explained through a statement on social media.
Due to the dynamic nature of the volcano, authorities ask the population to respect the security measures established in the area.
The most significant eruption of Rincon de la Vieja in recent history occurred in 1966 when a pyroclastic flow caused extensive damage to the surrounding area, including the destruction of two towns and several farms. Since then, smaller eruptions have occurred periodically, with the most recent eruptions in 2011, 2017, and 2022.
The 2022 eruption of Rincon de la Vieja began on March 5 and lasted for several hours, producing a column of ash and gas that rose up to 2 km above the volcano’s summit. The eruption was accompanied by lahars, which affected nearby rivers and caused the closure of several roads and bridges in the area.
Due to its frequent activity, Rincon de la Vieja is closely monitored by Costa Rica’s National Seismological Network, and the authorities have implemented measures to protect the public, such as evacuation plans and warning systems.
