Rincón de la Vieja erupted early Sunday morning, sending volcanic rock into nearby rivers, according to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI).
OVSICORI data indicates a five-minute eruption occurred at 1:26 a.m. Sunday. The organization said it could not calculate the height of the ash plume due to lack of visibility.
Rocas Incandescentes vistas desde Gavilán de Upala.
El día de hoy 20 de enero 2019 a la 1:26 a.m. hora local, se registra una erupción en el volcán Rincón de la Vieja, se desconoce la altura alcanzada por la columna debido a las condiciones de visibilidad del sitio. pic.twitter.com/PL7GeQQqFl— OVSICORI-UNA (@OVSICORI_UNA) January 20, 2019
OVSICORI shared a collage of images showing incandescent material near the Rincón de la Vieja crater (top) and volcanic material being carried by northerly rivers (middle and bottom).
20 enero 2019. Imagen superior. Material incandescente observado en la cima del V. Rincón de la Vieja, desde Sensoria por medio de webcam de OVSICORI. Imágenes inferiores materiales arrastrados por la corriente del Río Azufrado. Imágenes por Oscar Alvarado “Mapache” pic.twitter.com/T3ZB8mr4Eg
— OVSICORI-UNA (@OVSICORI_UNA) January 20, 2019
Costa Rica’s National Emergency Commission (CNE) has not yet issued a statement. The CNE recently announced increased security measures at the nation’s active volcanoes.
Costa Rica announces increased security measures for active volcanoes
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano is located in the eponymous national park in the Guanacaste province. The National Park attracts visitors due to its unique flora and fauna, natural water attractions and periodic geothermal activity.
In 2017, more than 82,000 people visited Rincón de la Vieja National Park.
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