Costa Rica Warns Tourists From Visiting Poas Volcano

Costa Rica was shaken Tuesday afternoon by an eruption of the Poas Volcano.

In an article published shortly after the eruption, New York Daily News relayed warnings from Costa Rica officials saying that approaching the active volcano might pose potential problems for tourists and travelers.

Eruptions of the Costa Rica volcano are common but dangerous, the article warned.

National Seismological Network, Costa Rica’s earthquake authority, found out earlier this month that the volcano had been showing off a red-hot glow around its crater and may have been a precursor to Tuesday’s event.

Scientists claim that eruptions of the Poas Volcano is a common sight in Costa Rica, saying that the volcano has had yearly eruptions for the past decade. However, they warned that these regular eruptions should be taken seriously by visitors to Costa Rica.

Eruptions from the Costa Rican volcano can still kill, scientists warn.

According to geology website Volcano Discovery, the Poas Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Costa Rica. Despite its frequent activity, the volcano is still one of the most regularly visited spots in the South American country.

This increases the risk of death at the mouth of the volcano. Tourists visiting the volcano’s crater elevates their chances of injury or death from a sudden eruption of the volcano.

According to volcanologists, many volcanic tourist spots around the world pose deadly risk to people around them. An Inquisitr article January reported that a supervolcanic eruption at the world-famous Yellowstone Park can possibly kill every single person in the United States.

Another article from Inquisitr gave details of a German supervolcano that can wipe out the whole of Europe in a single eruption.

Within the small country of Costa Rica, there are at least ten active volcanoes that can erupt at any time. One of the most active is the largest, Rincon de la Vieja.

The earliest recorded volcanic eruption of the Poas Volcano was in 1828 and has been tracked to erupt almost every year ever since. Eruptions from the Costa Rica volcano is usually phreatic – consisting of hot water emissions similar to a geyser. The volcano can be found in central Costa Rica.

There are two crater lakes that can be found at the summit of the Costa Rican volcano. One is the Laguna Caliente, regarded by some experts as one of the most acidic lakes in the world. Another is Lake Botos, an inactive crater lake which last erupted around 7500 BC.

In 1968, another volcano from Costa Rica, the Arenal Volcano unexpectedly erupted in 1968, destroying the town of Tabacon, Costa Rica,

Image from Flickr.