San Cristóbal Volcano Explained
Volcán San Cristóbal is the highest volcano in Nicaragua at 17450NaN0. Near the northwest corner of the country, close to the border with Honduras, it forms a backdrop to the city of Chichigalpa, Chinandega. It is also among the most active volcanoes in Nicaragua.
San Cristóbal is part of a 5-member volcanic complex that bears the same name. Chonco is 4 km to the west, and Moyotepe 4 km to the north east. Joined to the volcano's eastern flank is Volcán Casitas, which buried a village with a catastrophic landslide in 1998. The scars from that landslide are still visible today. Finally, La Pelona is on the east end of the complex.[1]
Physical features
San Cristóbal is the youngest volcano in its complex. It is a nearly symmetrical stratovolcano, rising in a distinctive cone shape. The SW slope is the longest, and the crater rim on that side rises 140 m above the NE end due to prevailing trade winds that distribute tephra to the SW.[1]
The crater is 500 × 600 m in size. While the volcano was at one point covered in tropical forests, the large quantities of gas and smoke that it emits constantly have killed off much of the vegetation.[2]
Eruptive history
- 1685: Erupted strongly enough to merit preservation in historical accounts.
- August 1919: Produced loud noises and light tremors that were felt in surrounding areas.
- May 1971: Produced bangs and explosions.
- March 1976: Produced a high, continuous column of smoke, several light tremors, and explosions that occurred every three minutes.
- c. December 1986: Marked expulsion of gases
- c. January 1987: Expelled large quantities of gas.
- May 1997: Entered into a new eruptive period, expelling gases, ash, and sand, and also producing light tremors.
- December 1999: Expelled gas, ash, and sand.
- May, August 2001: Reactivated.
- April 2006: Moderate phreatic eruption.
- July 2008: Rumbled with a series of small explosions, and expelled gas.
- September 2009: Explosion and moderate ash expulsion.
- September 2012: Three big explosions, expelled gas, ash and sand to 5,000 metres, following the 2012 Costa Rica earthquake.[3]
- December 25, 2012 and continuing into 2013: elevated seismic activity and multiple eruptions over the next few days.[4] [5]
- April 11, 2014: Gas plume that may contain ash drifted West about 20 km.
- July 20, 2014: Two explosions that occurred at 1:30 P.M. and 2:13 P.M. local time produced small plumes of ash that rose 100 meters.
- March 9, 2021: Moderate ash expulsion, impacting the town of Chinandega.[6]
Current activity
San Cristóbal remains quite active, continuously expelling copious amounts of gas and smoke. As recent as September 2009, it was reported that ash was falling in nearby towns.[7] In September 2012 it erupted again, spewing ash up to four kilometres (2.5 miles) into the atmosphere, resulting in the evacuation of around 3000 people in the surrounding area.[8]
A further eruption took place, starting on December 25, 2012, and continuing into 2013, causing the evacuation of hundreds of locals.[9]
On Wednesday, March 10, 2021, the volcano had an eruption and sent ash about 10,000 feet into the air and blanketed several towns in ash.[10]
See also
Notes and References
- 2019-02-11.
- INETER San Cristobal description Web site: Volcán San Cristóbal, Descripción . 2006-06-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060602002524/http://www.ineter.gob.ni/geofisica/vol/cristobal/descr.html . 2006-06-02 .
- http://www.ticotimes.net/Current-Edition/News-Briefs/Nicaragua-s-San-Cristobal-volcano-erupts_Saturday-September-08-2012 Nicaragua’s San Cristóbal volcano erupts
- http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/san-cristobal/news/25274/San-Cristobal-volcano-Nicaragua-eruption-update-near-continuous-ash-eruptions-evacuations.html San Cristobal volcano (Nicaragua) eruption update: near continuous ash eruptions, evacuations
- http://earthquake-report.com/2012/12/27/volcano-activity-of-december-27-2012-san-cristobal-volcano-nicaragua-erupting-video Volcano activity of December 27, 2012 – San Cristobal volcano, Nicaragua erupting (video)
- Web site: 2021-03-09. Nicaragua volcano blankets communities in ash. 2021-03-10. France 24. en.
- Web site: Eruption underway at Nicaragua's San Cristobal volcano. BNO News. September 2009. 2011-05-03.
- Web site: Thousands evacuate as Nicaragua volcano spews ash. ABC News. 9 September 2012. 2012-09-09.
- Web site: Nicaragua San Cristobal volcano: Hundreds told to leave. BBC News. 27 December 2012. 2012-12-27.
- Web site: Nicaragua's San Cristobal Volcano Erupts, Showering Ash. U.S. News & World Report. 10 March 2021. 2021-03-10.
