ReliefWeb

As of the 28th of October, the Instituto Geofisico (IG), reports that there has been 1 event of long period, 1 volcano-tectonic and one signal associated with rock fall was registered in the north part of the volcano. The Guardian of the Refuge could observe that the fumarolic activity was moderate. The fumaroles reached 300 m of height and caused a slight sound that could be listened to from the edge of the volcanic crater. On the other hand, the scent to sulfur was a little more stop than the normal thing. The volcano shows small increases in its level of activity that probably obey partly to a hydrothermal system more saturated due to rains happened in the last days.
This hydrothermal system interacts as well with heat surpluses lazy by the last happened explosion the 11 of October of 2002, and/or small agitations in the magmatic system demonstrated by means of the occurrence of volcano-tectonic events in last the two weeks. The activity of last the two weeks indicates that the continuous volcano showing own signs of an active volcano, which merits a continuous evaluation and monitoring on the part of the Geophysical Institute. Guagua Pichincha rises immediately W of Quito, Ecuador's capital city. The broad volcanic massif is cut by a large horseshoe-shaped summit caldera, ~6 km in diameter and 600 m deep, that was breached to the W during a slope failure ~50,000 years ago. The official colour of the volcanic alarm light remains on YELLOW. - Information : I G Quito