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Poás
Volcano Continues Activity, Six
More Eruptions on Saturday
As predicted by the experts, the
volcán Poás did not keep quiet
during the day yesterday
(Saturday) and continued to
roar. The volcano awakened on
Friday afternoon, with a quiet
yawn, slowly increasing its
activity.
Scientists monitoring the crater
say that there were six more
eruptions on Saturday, spewing
out mud and causing the falling
of acid rain in the area.
"It is important to clear up
that the nearby towns are not in
any danger. If that situation
changes, we will notify everyone
immediately", said Lidier
Esquivel of the Comisión
Nacional de Emergencia (CNE) -
national emergency commission.
According to reports by the CNE,
the Red Sismológica (earthquake
network) of the Universidad de
Costa Rica the
(OVSICORI),
and the UNA, the eruptions
occurred at 6:50am, 1:11pm and
spew reached a height of 30 to
50 metres (100 to 165 feet).
Since the first alert on Friday,
the volcano has produced eight
eruptions in total as of late
last night.
The strongest of eruptions was
recorded Friday night when the
expulsion reached 200 metres
(650 feet) in altitude from a
crater that is about 300 metres
(1.000 feet) in depth.
The acid rain yesterday reached
the national park offices
located some 800 metres (1/2
mile) from the crater. Experts
assure that the acid rain was
carried by the strong winds at
the time and not the force of
the eruption.
For the time being the park is
closed off to visitors and will
continue to do so for another
day or so as preventative
measure as scientists keep a
watch on the activity.
The constant eruptions yesterday
stopped scientists from climbing
down into the crater. Tomás
Marino of the OVSICORI said that
his team will descent the crater
today (Sunday) while Carlos
Ramírez of the Red Sismológica
said it will all depend on the
weather conditions and the
behaviour of the volcano.
Scientists say that the current
activity at the Poás is
different that the events of
1989 and 1994, this time the
crater lagoon is much deeper
than in the past.
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