QCOSTARICA – Two early morning eruptions this Friday by the Turrialba volcano, the first at 6:07am and the second at 7:40am, covered the Central Valley with more ash.
The first eruption was mild, while the second sent up a column of ash more than 3.000 metres (3 kilometres), according the Observatorio Sismológico y Vulcanológico de Costa Rica (Ovsicori) – Seismological and Volcanological Observatory of Costa Rica.
The Red Sismológica Nacional (RSN) – National Seismological Network – added the explosive phase lasted about six minutes.
The eruption spewed out gas and ash. In addition, it caused seismic activity in the area close to the crater.
“It’s going to keep spewing ash. The volcano continues seismicity and very high temperatures inside,” said volcanologist Gino Gonzalez.
In the social media, reports of ashfall included areas of Tibas, Moravia, Coronado and Goicoechea on the east side of San Jose (west of the Turrialba), and Belen in Heredia, La Guacima in Alajuela.
Last Thursday afternoon the volcano had several eruptions, the strongest at reported at 3:46pm and 4:09pm.
Eliecer Duarte, of the OVSICORI, said the volcano’s activity remains constant with tremors (micro earthquakes), shallow earthquakes, and lots of gas and steam.
This morning, the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) on the recommendation of the Municipal Emergency Committee, canceled classes at the Escuela El Volcán.
“The other schools remain open with preventive emergency protocols in place,” said the press office of the MEP.
