QCOSTARICA – The accumulation of material on the north wall, where the Penjamo river begins, and the possibility of a flow of sediment, is the main risk identified by experts in the Rincon de la Vieja volcano.
Volcanologists of the Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Geológicas de la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR), expressed their concerns to the Comisión Nacional de Emergencias (CNE) in the report, after inspections of the colossus located in Guanacaste.
This is the second volcano to arouse the concern of experts, who said on Friday the water temperature of the lagoon has increased from the normal 17 Celsius to between 28 C and 45 C, and the water level dropping almost two metres (6 feet), both changes occurring in the past month.
The other volcano that resumed seismic activity and began once again spewing gas and ash is the Turrialba in Cartago, east of San Jose.
The Rincon de la Vieja volcano is within the Rincon de la Vieja national part, located between Liberia, Bagaces and Upala. The Penjamo river crosses through several communities, including Buenos Aires, Aguas Claras de Upala and Armenia. The river is tributary which flows into Lake Nicaragua, in Nicaragua.
Gino Gonzalez, one of the volcanologists who made the inspection, said that during his two hour tour of the crater, he observed more 10 phreatic eruptions, reaching heights of between 10 and 20 metres. The expert said the volcano expelled gas, mud, stones and water vapor.
“We found sulfur blocks. It means that under the lake sulfur seals are forming, transferred to hot fluids, increasing the pressure, generating eruptions, which eject these blocks,” he said.
Raul Mora Amador, of the Red Sismológica Nacional (RSN) – National Seismological Network, said the volcano had shown some activity since September 2011, and at the moment is at its peak.
Source: La Nacion
