Ash and vapor explosions at Turrialba Volcano continued Thursday with a strong eruption at 3:20 a.m. that remained constant until nearly 7 a.m., the University of Costa Rica’s National Seismological Network (RSN) reported.
The new eruption spewed ash, gas and vapor almost 3,000 meters (some 9,800 feet) above the crater. Ash spewings after 8 a.m. were mostly intermittent, the agency noted.
The Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela is open with no reported problems.
The RSN report states that wind has been variable but is mostly carrying ash north and east of the volcano, which is located some 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of the capital San José in Cartago province.
The National University’s Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) reported that wind conditions prompted ash to reach northern areas of Heredia and Alajuela provinces. Ash also reached the Braulio Carrillo National Park, Guápiles and other communities in the Caribbean province of Limón.
See a video of the Thursday explosions at Turrialba Volcano recorded by an OVSICORI webcam between 3 and 6 a.m.:
Posts from the public on OVSICORI’s social media profile reported ashfall north of the capital in Coronado, Moravia and Guadalupe.
Explosions recorded after 9 a.m. ranged between 300 and 700 meters (985 and 2,300 ft.) above the crater, OVSICORI reported.
Aeris Holding Costa Rica, the company that operates the Juan Santamaría International Airport, the country’s largest international terminal, confirmed operations on Thursday are normal.
Eruptions at Turrialba Volcano on Monday and Tuesday forced the company to close the terminal and suspend dozens of flights.
See pictures posted at the RSN Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/RSN.CR/posts/1224370310959873
