Eruption on Rincón de la Vieja.

The Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional reported a small eruption on Rincón de la Vieja, an active volcano in Guanacaste Province.in the northwest of the country, at about 12.15 pm local time on Friday 30 January 2020. This is the first eruption from the volcano since January 2019, and produced an ash column about 2 km high, and is the latest in a series of small eruptions on the volcano that started in September 2014

Ash column above Rincón de la Vieja on 30 January 2020. Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional.

Rincón de la Vieja is a complex volcano (volcano with multiple eruptive vents rather than a single crater at the top of a cone-shaped mountain) rising to 1916 m above sea-level in Guanacaste Province in the northwest of Costa Rica. It is located within the Rincón de la Vieja National Park, where along with an associated hot spring system it forms an important part of the local economy. Prior to the onset of activity in September 2014 the volcano had been inactive since September 2011, and the last major eruption occurred in 1966. A small geothermal energy project, the Las Pailas Geothermal Power Plant, runs on heat from underground rocks associated with the volcanic complex.

Rincón de la Vieja forms part of the Cordillera de Guanacaste, a range of volcanic mountains running through northern Costa Rica close to the border with Nicaragua and forming part of the Central American Arc. These volcanoes are fuelled by the subduction of the Cocos Plate, which underlies part of the east Pacific Ocean, beneath the Caribbean Plate, on which Central America lies, along the Middle American Trench, which lies off the south coast of the country. As the Cocos Plate is subducted it is gradually melted by the heat and pressure of the Earth's interior, with some more volatile minerals rising through the overlying Caribbean Plate as volcanic magma.

 

 Diagram showing the passage of the Cocos Plate beneath Costa Rica (not to scale). Carleton College.

 

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Magnitude 5.2 Earthquake off the coast of Costa Rica.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 5.2 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km,  roughly 10 km off the west coast of the Peninsula de Nicoya in Guanacaste Province on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, slightly after 12.30 pm local time  (slightly after 6.30 pm GMT) on Sunday 8 December 2019. There are no reports of any damage or casualties associated with this event, but it was felt across much of western Costa Rica.

 

The approximate location of the 8 December 2019 Costa Rica Earthquake. USGS.

 
Costa Rica lies on the southern margin of the Caribbean Plate; to the south of the country the Cocos Plate, which underlies part of the eastern Pacific Ocean) is being subducted under the Middle American Trench, passing under Central America as it sinks into the Earth's interior. This is not a smooth process, and the plates often stick together until the pressure builds up enough to force them to shift suddenly, causing Earthquakes. As the Cocos Plate sinks deeper if is partially melted by the friction and the heat of the Earth's interior. Some of the melted material then rises up through the overlying Caribbean Plate, fuelling the volcanoes of Central America.

 

 Diagram showing the passage of the Cocos Plate beneath Costa Rica (not to scale). Carleton College.

 

Witness accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events, and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.

 

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Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake off the coast of Nicaragua and Cost Rica.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude  5.9 Earthquake at a depth of 30.6 km, about 25 km off the coast of San Juab del Sur in Rivas Department, Nicaragua, or 40 km off the Santa Rosa Peninsula in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, slightly after 9.00 am local time (slightly after 3.00 pm GMT) on Tuesday 16 January 2018. There are no reports of any damage or casualties associated with this event, though it was felt across southwestern Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica.

The approximate location of the 16 January Nicaragua & Costa Rica Earthquake. USGS.

Nicaragua and Costa Rica lie on the southern margin of the Caribbean Plate; to the south the Cocos Plate, which underlies part of the eastern Pacific Ocean) is being subducted under the Middle American Trench, passing under Central America as it sinks into the Earth's interior. This is not a smooth process, and the plates often stick together until the pressure builds up enough to force them to shift suddenly, causing Earthquakes. As the Cocos Plate sinks deeper if is partially melted by the friction and the heat of the Earth's interior. Some of the melted material then rises up through the overlying Caribbean Plate, fuelling the volcanoes of Central America.

 Diagram showing the passage of the Cocos Plate beneath Costa Rica (not to scale). Carleton College.

Witness accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events, and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.

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Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake on the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake at a depth of 19.1 km, on the northern Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, slightly after 1.40 am local time (slightly after 7.40 pm GMT) on Friday 1 September 2017. There are no reports of any damage or casualties associated with this event, but it was felt across much of western Costa Rica.

 

The approximate location of the 1 September 2017 Nicoya Peninsula Earthquake. USGS.

 

Costa Rica lies on the southern margin of the Caribbean Plate; to the south of the country the Cocos Plate, which underlies part of the eastern Pacific Ocean) is being subducted under the Middle American Trench, passing under Central America as it sinks into the Earth's interior. This is not a smooth process, and the plates often stick together until the pressure builds up enough to force them to shift suddenly, causing Earthquakes. As the Cocos Plate sinks deeper if is partially melted by the friction and the heat of the Earth's interior. Some of the melted material then rises up through the overlying Caribbean Plate, fuelling the volcanoes of Central America.

 

Diagram showing the passage of the Cocos Plate beneath Costa Rica (not to scale). Carleton College.

Witness accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events, and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.

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Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake in Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 5.3 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km, in northeastern Guanacaste Province in northwest Costa Rica slightly before 7.00 pm local time on Saturday 2 June 2016 (slightly before 2.00 am on Sunday 3 June, GMT). There are no reports of any damage or casualties associated with this event, but it was felt across much of northern Costa Rica.

The approximate location of the 2 July 2016 Guanacaste Province Earthquake. Google Maps.

Costa Rica lies on the southern margin of the Caribbean Plate; to the south of the country the Cocos Plate, which underlies part of the eastern Pacific Ocean) is being subducted under the Middle American Trench, passing under Central America as it sinks into the Earth's interior. This is not a smooth process, and the plates often stick together until the pressure builds up enough to force them to shift suddenly, causing Earthquakes. As the Cocos Plate sinks deeper if is partially melted by the friction and the heat of the Earth's interior. Some of the melted material then rises up through the overlying Caribbean Plate, fueling the volcanoes of Central America.

 

 Diagram showing the passage of the Cocos Plate beneath Costa Rica (not to scale). Carleton College.

 

Witness accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events, and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit organization Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.

 

See also...

 

Eruptions on Mount Turrialba                      The Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional reported a series of eruptions on Mount Turrialba, a stratovolcano (cone shaped volcano made up of layers of ash and lava) in the central part...

Exclusion zone established around Mount Turriabla after a series of eruptions on Sunday 1 May 2016.                                       The Costa Rican Comisión Nacional de Emergencias has...

Eruption on Rincón de la Vieja, Costa Rica. The Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional reported a small eruption on Rincón de la Vieja, an active volcano in the northwest of the country, at about 4.20 pm local time on Tuesday 15 March...

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Eruption on Rincón de la Vieja, Costa Rica.

The Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional reported a small eruption on Rincón de la Vieja, an active volcano in the northwest of the country, at about 4.20 pm local time on Tuesday 15 March 2015. This is the latest in a sereis of small eruptions on the volcano that started in September 2014, and produced a column of gas and ash which rose about 700 m above the top of the mountain. An earlier eruption on 9 March this year led to small ash-falls in some local villages. Such small eruptions are not in themselves dangerous, but can be indicative of rising activity on a volcano capable of much larger eruptions.

Ash column over Rincón de la Vieja on 15 March 2016. Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional.

Rincón de la Vieja is a complex volcano (volcano with multiple eruptive vents rather than a single crater at the top of a cone-shaped mountain) rising to 1916 m above sea-level in Guanacaste Province in the northwest of Costa Rica. It is located within the Rincón de la Vieja National Park, where along with an associated hot spring system it forms an important part of the local economy. Prior to the onset of activity in September 2014 the volcano had been inactive since September 2011, and the last major eruption occurred in 1966. A small geothermal energy project, the Las Pailas Geothermal Power Plant, runs on heat from underground rocks associated with the volcanic complex.

Rincón de la Vieja forms part of the Cordillera de Guanacaste, a range of volcanic mountains running through northern Costa Rica close to the border with Nicaragua and forming part of the Central American Arc. These volcanoes are fuelled by the subduction of the Cocos Plate, which underlies part of the east Pacific Ocean, beneath the Caribbean Plate, on which Central America lies, along the Middle American Trench, which lies off the south coast of the country. As the Cocos Plate is subducted it is gradually melted by the heat and pressure of the Earth's interior, with some more volatile minerals rising through the overlying Caribbean Plate as volcanic magma.

Diagram showing the passage of the Cocos Plate beneath Costa Rica (not to scale). Carleton College.

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Explosive eruption on Mount Turrialba. The Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional reported a short explosive eruption which lasted about ten minutes, beginning slightly after 1.10 pm local time on Monday 7 December 2015...

Eruption on Mount Turrialba, Costa Rica. The Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional reported an eruption on Mount Turrialba, a stratovolcano (cone shaped volcano made up of...

Magnitude 4.6 Earthquake off the coast of Limón Province, Costa Rica.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 4.6 Earthquake at a depth of 18 km, slightly off the coast of Limón Province in northeast Costa...

 

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