volcanic ash

Ten outbound flights were canceled Monday morning and another four inbound flights were rescheduled, according to Silvia Chaves, spokeswoman for Aeris, the company that operates Juan Santamaría International Airport. The airport, 67 km away from the volcano, was closed between 3:30 a.m. and 6:15 a.m. Monday morning.

The ash from Turrialba Volcano has forced operators of the Juan Santamaría International Airport, outside Costa Rica's capital city of San José, to temporarily close, affecting at least seven inbound flights.

Aviation Administration Director Álvaro Vargas told daily La Nación Tuesday evening that Tobías Bolaños airport would be closed at least until 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, in order to better evaluate the possible effects of ash on the terminal.

The eruption’s most dramatic moment comes 14 seconds into the video when a rush of heat out of the crater flashes white on the screen.

The eruption is the latest in a string of blasts since October from the active volcano, located 50 km northeast of the capital of San José.

UPDATED at 7 p.m.: Juan Santamaría International Airport will remain closed until at least 8 a.m. Friday. Airport spokeswoman Silvia Chávez said that reopening was conditional on overnight activity at Turrialba Volcano.