An Increase In Volcanic Activity Follows Recent Increase In Earthquakes

A picture of Ecuador's Tungurhua volcano erupting.

Activity Increases at Ecuador’s Tungurhua volcano.

There has been an uptick in 6.0+ earthquakes over the past weeks, and an increase in volcanic activity along these quake zones is to be expected.

Here is the recent line-up of volcanic eruptions today:

  1. Tungurahua, Ecuador
  2. Shiveluch, Russia
  3. Sinabung, Indonesia
  4. Shishaldin, USA
  5. Chirpoi, Russia
  6. Dukono, Indonesia
  7. Karymsky, Russia
  8. Kilauea, USA
  9. Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
  10. Tara, Batu, Indonesia

Many volcanic eruptions can spawn wildfires, so heads up in these regions.

Activity Intense At Tungurhua Volcano

A picture of Ecuador's Tungurhua volcano erupting.

Activity increases at Ecuador’s Tungurhua volcano.

Tungurhua volcano in Ecuador continues to be very active with frequent explosions ejecting lava and ash plumes several hundred feet up to 3-4 km (2+ miles) above the summit.

Strong shock waves and cannon-shot explosion sounds are accompanying the eruptions. Ash fall occurred in the towns and villages of Pondoa, Runtún, Triunfo, and Río Verde.

Two More To Watch

Peru’s Ubinas volcano is having new eruptions, and San Miguel volcano in El Salvador is showing signs of another eruption.

Tungurhua

Tungurahua is one of South America’s most active volcanoes. Since 2000, a new lava dome has been growing in its summit crater.

Tungurahua’s activity has been characterized by frequent powerful ash explosions, producing ash plumes of several kilometers high, as well as dangerous pyroclastic flows. Part of the population around its base has been evacuated, and people in villages living at lower elevations are on high alert.

A Google Earth map of Tungurahua.

The world is watching the activity at Tungurahua.

 

Costa Rica Experiencing Quakes; Will More Follow?

USGS small Earth globe showing Nicaragua

Central America is experiencing more large earthquakes.

The entire western edge of  Central and South American is experiencing large earthquakes, but when one of my favorite countries, Costa Rica, has a large earthquake, I always post it.

On February 12, 2014, offshore Joco, Costa Rica had a 4.7 magnitude quake. This quake occurred amid a string of quakes sriking the western portion of both Central and South America:

  1. 4.6  Chile
  2. 4.6   Argentina
  3. 5.5  Chile
  4. 5.2  Chile
  5. 4.5  Guatemala
  6. 4.7  Costa Rica

Now, compare this activity to the volcanic activity in these countries. Connect the dots to see the increase in both volcanic and earthquake activity in Central and South America.

The eruption of Santiaguito volcano

Eruption of Santiaguito volcano in Guatemala (webcam image: INSIVUMEH, annotated by Blog Culture Volcan)