Turrialba volcano eruption intensifies in Costa Rica

Source: RSN

At about 6:00 am on the Monday after the May Day holiday weekend, an eruption at the Turrialba volcano was detected by scientists from the Observatory on Volcanology and Seismology of Costa Rica (Spanish acronym: OVSICORI). This latest geologic event is being described as a strong exhalation of gas, vapor and volcanic ash.

 

According to a news report filed by Joselyne Ugarte of online news daily CRHoy.com, the Monday eruption intensified the plume that has adorned the crater over the last few weeks. Comments by geochemistry expert Maria Martinez of the OVSICORI indicate that the gasification and exhalation process at the Turrialba will probably continue despite decreased seismicity in the area.

 

A more impressive eruption took place on Friday morning, when park rangers and law enforcement officers in the area witnessed incandescent material being expelled over a period of four minutes. That eruption, which reached heights of 500 meters, sent the rangers and police officer scrambling for cover, particularly since they also felt vibratory motion underfoot. Indeed, the seismographs at the OVSICORI detected higher seismicity on Friday morning.

 

The Turrialba colossus, located in the province of Cartago, is currently the most active volcano in Costa Rica. Significant activity has been recorded since October 2014, and it has caused airport closures, flight cancellations, agricultural disruption, and temporary suspensions of school classes in the rural communities located in the skirts of this magnificent fissure of the Earth’s crust.

 

Officials from the National Commission on Emergencies are concerned that the seemingly lower levels of activity at the Turrialba have attracted more tourists, who are at danger of being at Nature’s whim should a more powerful, and potentially devastating eruption take place.

 

Park rangers and police officers are doing all they can to enforce the restrictions on entering the national park; nonetheless, some careless visitors are slipping past the barriers by skipping the rural roads and heading into the forest in search of foot trails that would lead them closer to the crater.

Courtesy of news.co.cr

http://tinyurl.com/ntuusv3

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Plagues locust swarms more than 40ha in size “black out the sky” in Queensland, Australia

PLAGUES of locusts have been devouring their way through the state’s central west compounding the hardships suffered by drought-affected farmers.

 

More than 150 swarms have been reported to Biosecurity Queensland so far this year, with some reported to be more than 40ha in size and thick enough to “black out the sky”.

 

While their activity has been dying down as winter approaches, there are fears eggs are lying dormant waiting to return in favourable weather conditions.

 

There were only 15 swarms reported throughout the state from 2011 and 2013.

 

But Biosecurity Queensland figures show there were 40 swarms reported in January, 59 in February, 43 in March and 16 in April and conducted aerial sprays over 20,000ha of central Queensland to tackle them.

 

Locust activity has been reported mostly in the central west including Blackall-Tambo, Emerald, Longreach, Barcaldine, Banana, Boulia, Cloncurry and Diamantina.

 

Jilly Peck, a farmer from Purtora, near Blackall, said last month her property had two swarms go past it in three weeks.

 

“At first I thought it was a dust storm. I’ve never seen anything like it,” she said.

 

“It didn’t do any damage because we didn’t have any grass to lose.”

 

Banana Shire Mayor Ron Carige said his council had undertaken spraying to address the pests, which was difficult as the swarms kept moving.

 

“They’re a major bloody problem, they do a lot of destruction,” he said.

 

Blackall-Tambo Regional Council Mayor Barry Muir said he had heard reports from farmers west of Blackall of swarms that “just about blacked out the sky”.

 

“It’s bad enough with the drought without the grasshoppers eating what’s left,” he said.

 

“The worst part of it is when they go to ground and lay eggs again you don’t know where they’re coming out again.”

Courtesy of couriermail.com.au

http://tinyurl.com/k3uxlt7

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