PHOTOS: Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano spews ash into neighboring communities

By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

May 20,2016; 11:41PM,EDT

 

Loud explosions were heard for the third straight day in central Costa Rica as the Turrialba volcano remained active on Friday.
Volcanic activity first began on Wednesday, but the most powerful in a string of eruptions was reported around 7:20 a.m. local time Friday, according to the Tico Times. Ash was reportedly spewing up to 3 kilometers (2 miles) into the air.
The volcano, which is located about 50 kilometers (31 miles), east from the nation's capital of San Jose, reportedly forced some airlines to cancel or divert flights into the country.
Costa Rica's National Emergency Commission of Risk Emergency and National Response (CNE) implemented a perimeter of 5 kilometers (3 miles) around the crater for health and safety reasons.
According to reports from the TV channel CB24.tv News Central America, in downtown San Jose, Costa Rica, there have been some situations among the inhabitants, such as difficulty breathing and blinking normally, after the eruption of Turrialba volcano and the falling ash.
Also, through social networks, the channel reported that the sulfur smell is intense and that the ash has reached four provinces.
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The CNE has issued a yellow alert for the provinces of Alvarado and Turrialba.
The Times reported that ash has been accumulating in nearby rivers and has also been found in San José and Heredia provinces.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews said winds between (13-24 km/h) 8-15 mph were observed at Juan Santamaría International Airport on Friday.
The airport first reported ash falling around 9 p.m. EDT Thursday and again during the morning hours Friday. It is located about 30 minutes to the northwest of downtown San Juan.
Costa Rica will remain in a hit-or-miss shower or thunderstorm pattern with no highly organized rain pattern in the coming days, Andrews said.
Volcanic ash can be harmful to breathe because it can contain tiny particles of rock, Andrews said, adding that often times it can turn into volcanic glass.
It has been an active week for volcanoes around the world, as eruptions were also reported in Mexico and Guatemala.

(Photo/Raquel Lp/follower of the Red Sismológica Nacional de Costa Rica on Facebook)

(Photo/Paula Hernandez/follower of the Red Sismológica Nacional de Costa Rica on Facebook)
(Photo/Alejandro Corteso/follower of the Red Sismológica Nacional de Costa Rica on Facebook)
(Photo/Federico Vargas/follower of the Red Sismológica Nacional de Costa Rica on Facebook)

(Photo/Marijoc QV/follower of the Red Sismológica Nacional de Costa Rica on Facebook)
AccuWeather En Espanol Staff Writer Miguel Perez contributed content to this article.