No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta Rica Limits Access to Active Poas Volcano Due to Safety Concerns

Costa Rica Limits Access to Active Poas Volcano Due to Safety Concerns

The Poás Volcano has registered an increase in its activity in recent weeks. The Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) reports increased seismicity, small eruptions, and outgassing. The Technical Advisory Committee on Volcanology of the National Emergency Commission (CNE) has recommended new operational measures regarding tourist visitation, including temporary closure of the trail connecting the viewpoint with Botos Lagoon.

Visitor access has been limited to 56 people per shift, with a 20-minute maximum stay at the crater overlook. This capacity was determined by the volcanic impact protection screens installed in the National Park. Meryll Arias, Regional Director of the Central Conservation Area (ACC), emphasized that the park has signs informing visitors about the high-risk zone and necessary precautions, including temporary shelters for safety.

Multiple agencies, including the National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), OVSICORI, the National Seismological Network (RSN), and the CNE, continuously monitor volcanic activity in Poás Volcano National Park. These organizations may modify the temporary safety measures based on the volcano’s behavior. MINAE has urged visitors to use only permitted trails, and the CNE has emphasized avoiding restricted areas susceptible to hazardous gases.

Visitors must purchase tickets exclusively online through the SINAC website: www.sinac.go.cr.

Trending Now

Expomóvil 2026 Opens in Belén with 350 Models

Costa Rica's biggest auto fair of the year is in full swing, and this edition is one for the record books. Expomóvil 2026 started...

El Salvador Opens Mass Trial Against Gang leaders

El Salvador’s justice system on Monday opened a trial against some 486 people accused of belonging to the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), including several founders...

Ortega says Trump has a mental breakdown over war in the Middle East

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump is suffering from a mental breakdown after launching, alongside Israel, the war in...

Costa Rica’s Poás Volcano Records Unusual Crater Collapse and Lake Surge

An unusual eruption inside Poás Volcano on April 10 sent ash into the air, pushed the crater lake up by as much as three...

El Salvador Permits Life Sentences Starting at Age 12

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele signed reforms into law that permit life prison sentences for people convicted of serious crimes starting at age 12. The...

Costa Rica Backs Panama in Escalating China Shipping Dispute

Panama announced yesterday it will sanction a Chinese consortium for alleged breaches on a canal-related infrastructure project as detentions of Panamanian-flagged vessels in Chinese...

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel