Turrialba Volcano Erupts Violently

TIV, GMR, HPV, PYM

Hell Hath No Fury Like the Primed Costa Rica Volcano!

The powerful explosion, said to be the volcano’s most powerful eruption in 6 years, ejected a thick column of ass and smoke more than 3km into the air.

Hundreds of people have inundated the local hospitals, complaining of breathing difficulties and skin burns, as multiple layers of ash covered the buildings and roads, and a strong stench of sulfur filled the air.

The 3,343-meter Turrialba Volcano, located in central Costa Rica, about 45km east of the capital, San Jose, began activity on Wednesday with the first wave of eruptions occurring on Friday, officials said.

Image source: itsjustaimy

Turrialba

Turrialba has been quiescent since a series of explosive eruptions during the 19th century that were sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows. Photo by Federico Chavarria Kopper, 1999. Caption: GVP.

Volcano Details

• Country: Costa Rica
• Volcano Number: 1405-07=
• Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
• Last Known Historic Eruption: 1866
• Summit Elevation: 3,340 m
• Latitude: 10.025°N  (10°1’30″N)
• Longitude: 83.767°W  (83°46’1″W)

Related Links

• Turrialba Volcano Explodes Again May 13, 2016
• Turrialba Volcano Explodes Raining Ash on Costa Rica Capital March 13, 2015

Turrialba Volcano Explodes Again

Costa Rica’s Turrialba Volcano Erupts

Volcanologists at the University of Costa Rica have reported a large explosion at Turrialba Volcano, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday local time.

The powerful eruption ejected ash to a height of about 3 kilometers above the volcano’s summit, according to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI).

“It was a single explosion but a really strong one. This means that there was high pressure inside the volcano,” said a volcanologist at OVSICORI.

The ashfall forced the closure of Tobías Bolaños Airport, in western San José, local media reported.

The 3,340-meter-high volcano is located about 65km northeast of the capital, San Jose.

In October 2014, authorities in Costa Rica evacuated nearby residents after Turrialba’s largest eruption in 148 years. Large areas of San Jose, La Union, Cartago, Santo Domingo and Heredia provinces, located as far as 50km from the crater, reported volcanic ash and strong sulfur odors.

 

Camera located in the crater of the Turrialba volcano, about 600 meters east of the active crater (looking west). The image is refreshed every 10 seconds. Source: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional.

Turrialba Volcano, file image. Source: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional.

Related Links

• Turrialba Volcano Explodes Raining Ash on Costa Rica Capital March 13, 2015
• Turrialba Volcano Explodes  October 31, 2014

Turrialba Volcano Explodes Raining Ash on Costa Rica Capital

Volcanic ash from Turrialba rains on Costa Rica capital San José

Volcanologists at the University of Costa Rica have reported at least four explosions at Turrialba Volcano starting Thursday local time.

Plumes of smoke, ash and volcanic gasses rose up to a height of about 1km above the crater’s summit, located some 50km  northeast of the capital San José.

Winds carried the ash and gasses from the volcano the capital, where it rained on cars and homes, restricting visibility and causing eye irritation, said local media.

Camera located in the crater of the Turrialba volcano, about 600 meters east of the active crater (looking west). The image is refreshed every 10 seconds. Source: Instituto Meteorológico Nacional.

“We have recommended the evacuation of people and small animals as a precautionary measure because the last explosion was very strong,” said a spokesman for the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OBSIVORI).

The explosions follow two earthquakes which occurred near the Pacific coast of Costa Rica along the Middle America Trench, northwest of Fisher Seamount.

The larger of the two quakes measured magnitude 5.4Mw, and occurred at 10.603°N, 86.463°W, some 89km (55mi) W of Sardinal, Costa Rica, depth of 20.9km, at 16:23 UTC Wednesday.

Volcanic ash forced the closure of Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaría International Airport, said a report.

Turrialba Volcano Explodes

VOLCANIC HAZARDS
VOLCANIC CHAIN REACTION
MAJOR EXPLOSION at TURRIALBA
MASS EVACUATIONS
CROP DESTRUCTION
SCENARIOS 989, 900, 797, 787, 707, 700, 444, 402, 070, 017, 07, 02
.

Costa Rica evacuates nearby residents after Turrialba’s largest eruption in 148 years

Residents in large areas of San Jose, La Union, Cartago, Santo Domingo and Heredia provinces, located as far as 50km from the crater, have reported volcanic ash and strong sulfur odors.

The 3,340-meter-high volcano, located about 65km northeast of the capital San Jose, has been shaking and rumbling since Wednesday, authorities said.

State of Phyto Emergency Declared in Costa Rica

Costa Rica declares a state of emergency due to banana pest

World’s 2nd largest banana exporter has declared a state of phytosanitary emergency for one year due to an explosive increase of pest populations in banana crops.

Boisduval scales and banana mealybugs have plagued more than 24,000 hectares of plantations in the country’s Atlantic region, from Talamanca to Sarapiqui, said the Ministry of Agriculture’s State Phytosanitary Service (SFE).

Damage caused by Boisduval scales to banana fingers.  Source: SFE

SFE believes the damage caused by the insects, usually just aesthetic in nature, would trigger rejections in packing plants, leading to “serious economic harm” for growers.

“The biggest risk that we face is that importing countries impose restrictions, including the return of shipments or market closure, bringing serious consequences and reducing the country’s commercial credibility,” said SFE in a news release.

“Previously, special permits were provided for the importation of a certain amount of bags, but the situation continues to worsen, which is why it was decided to resort to a state of emergency.”

Costa Rica Hit by Magnitude 6.1 Quake

A Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Struck Costa Rica Near San Jose

UPDATE – January 10, 2009

The official count of confirmed deaths rose to 15 with up to 60 people still missing and dozens of others injured.

.

According to the authorities two children were killed by a landslide near the epicenter some 35 km NNW of the capital, San Jose.

“Panoramic view of San José Downtown.” Author: Jorge Rodríguez;  photo taken April 20th., 2006. Licensed under the GFDL by the author; Released under the GNU Free Documentation License.

According to AFP and Reuters, the strong quake shattered windows and interrupted power and cell phone service in parts of the capital, where residents reported damage to buildings and roads.

10-degree map of epicenter centered at 10°N,85°W and map of earthquake location – Credit: USGS

This Earthquake

Magnitude: 6.1
Date-Time:

• Thursday, January 08, 2009 at 19:21:36 UTC
• Thursday, January 08, 2009 at 01:21:36 PM at epicenter

Location: 10.221°N, 84.207°W
Depth: 14 km (8.7 miles) set by location program
Region: COSTA RICA
Distances:

• 35 km (20 miles) NNW of SAN JOSE, Costa Rica
• 75 km (45 miles) ENE of Puntarenas, Costa Rica
• 115 km (75 miles) SSE of San Carlos, Nicaragua
• 1770 km (1100 miles) SSW of Miami, Florida

Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 7 km (4.3 miles); depth fixed by location program
Source:  USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID: us2009bpba

Related Links:

• Central America Earthquake Information [USGS]
• Landslides, Floods, Extreme Rain Events [Links page]
  
• Earthquakes [Links page]