The eruption Monday of Poás Volcano in Costa Rica has prompted officials to temporarily close the popular tourist attraction because of a “high probability” of more eruptions.
The dawn eruption, captured on video by the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI), sent a column of ash more than a mile above the 8,885-foot volcano.
Poás Volcano National Park, located 29 miles northwest of the Costa Rican capital of San Jose, remained closed Tuesday and a reopening date had not been announced at the time of this post.
According to the English-language Tico Times, the closure was ordered by the National Emergency Commission, which stated:
“Poás Volcano will remain closed on Tuesday, Oct. 1 due to the high probability of eruptive activity. After the eruption presented at 5:40 a.m. on Sept. 30, both the National Seismological Network and OVSICORI-UNA found that the seismic tremor signal associated with volcanic activity remains high with fluids in the internal ducts of the volcano.
“In addition, there is a presence and a significant concentration of SO2 (Sulfur Dioxide) at the viewpoint.”
Poás had previously erupted on Sept. 22, prompting a 48-hour closure of the park. That was a hydrothermal event, however, involving mostly water vapor.
According to the Costa Rica Guide, Poás is among the most popular tourist attractions in the country’s vast Central Valley, and “a powerful symbol of the geothermal forces that formed Costa Rica.”
The volcano has erupted 40 times since 1828, including a major eruption in April 2017, which prompted the evacuation of tourists and area residents.
Poás reopened in September 2018 with a wide safety perimeter around the erupting crater, and with access limited to a crater observation area for tourists who purchase tickets in advance.
