Cotopaxi is the potentially most dangerous volcano in the country, since in its area of influence, in the event of an eventual eruption, there are more than 3.6 million people.
View of the Cotopaxi volcano, on October 22, 2022.
Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the country at 5,897 meters above sea level, has exhibited unusual behavior since the night of October 21, 2022.
That day, the monitoring teams of the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School (IG) registered a tremor. That is, a prolonged vibration inside the volcano caused by the emission of gases and ash.
This activity increased with the passing of the hours until Sunday, October 23, when IG technicians observed the fall of lahars (flows of water, mud, and debris) down the northwestern flank of the volcano.
The Director of Risks, Cristian Torres, explained that this activity is the most intense that the Cotopaxi volcano has had since 2015.
That year, the volcano expelled gases, water vapor and ash for several weeks, even causing an emergency declaration, which put at least a dozen nearby towns, such as Sangolquí and Latacunga, on alert.
Since then, Cotopaxi has not issued warnings of seismic movements that arouse concern among experts. “On a scale of one to 10, we can say that the activity of the volcano is at three . Therefore, you have to worry, but not be alarmed,” Torres said.
The official recalled that since 2015, Cotopaxi became one of the most closely watched volcanoes, since its area of influence, in the event of an eventual eruption, includes an area where USD 3.6 million people live in Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Napo and Tungurahua.
According to the IG, the danger of this volcano also lies in the fact that its extensive glacier can melt and cause lahars that cover several kilometers around it.
The IG volcanologist, Silvana Hidalgo, explained that since Monday, October 24, the IG technicians remain in the volcano, with the aim of verifying if the volcanic material of the lahars is new or old.
“This will allow us to have a clearer idea of the activity that the volcano is currently experiencing,” he explained.
The latest reports from the IG suggest that the lahars “were not co-eruptive”, but rather the product of the thawing of a glacier layer.
“This layer of ash facilitates the thawing of a superficial fraction of the ice, generating water that mixes with debris in its path and generates small, short-range lahars that did not reach nearby rivers such as the Cutuchi and the Pita,” the report said. entity.
For now, the Secretary of Risks and the Geophysical Institute agree that the activity that the volcano has registered during October 24 is low . This appreciation was ratified in the last informative bulletin issued by the IG.
In the statement, the institute indicates that the level of internal and superficial activity is low and that there have been no changes, at least, in the last 12 hours.
“There have been several episodes of rain, from light to moderate. On October 23, there were signs associated with the descent of mud and debris flows. This is a product of the rains and the effect of the ash blanket on the glacier”, detailed the IG.
Despite this report, the Secretary of Irrigation maintains the yellow alert to continue monitoring the volcano and alert the public in case the activity increases.
What does the yellow alert mean?
The National Risk Management Service explained that, in the face of a threat of volcanic eruption, three types of alerts are activated: yellow, orange and red.
- Yellow: Activation of the volcanic threat. In this case, citizens and authorities must review and prepare their contingency plans, as well as have emergency backpacks ready.
- Orange: Preparation for a possible eruption. The most important thing at this time is to follow the instructions of the authorities and evacuate the risk areas voluntarily.
- Red: Eruption in progress. Cover your face with a mask and evacuate to safe places.
The director of Risks, Cristian Torres, announced that a section will be created on the entity’s website so that people know the evacuation routes and the sounds emitted by the warning sirens so that they can identify them and know how to act.
Normal classes
The Ministry of Education ratified its decision not to suspend classes in the areas surrounding the Cotopaxi volcano.
His decision is based on the fact that students and teachers are not in danger because security measures have been implemented in the face of ash fall in the province of Cotopaxi.
However, the entity pointed out that the decision may change depending on the evolution of the activity that the volcano presents and the reports issued by the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School.
