ReliefWeb

As of the 1st of March it has been reported from the El Instituto Geofísico de la Escuela Politécnica Nacional, the following informational updates on volcano Tungurahua. With respect to explosive activity, in last the 24 hours have entered 4 explosions, of which three are excellent events. Two of them were moderate and they were registered to 0044 and 0730 (local time), presenting/displaying Reduced Displacements of 8.2 and 12 cm2. The last explosion was registered to 0930 and had a Reduced Displacement of 4.4 cm2. These explosions been have accompanied by strong cannon shots, but given the climatic conditions they have not been possible to make visual observations of the height of the columns nor the direction of dispersion. With respect to seismic activity, 55 earthquakes of type LP and 4 volcano-tectonic ones have been entered. Additionally, from 2217 (local time) a harmonic tremor appeared that remained around 10 minutes. Additionally a signal generated by the passage of a mud flow was registered in the sector of Cus=FAa. Personnel of the Institute mobilized itself in hours of afternoon to this sector with the purpose of making observations of the magnitude of the deposit. A section of the highway that takes to Baths found interrupted by smaller flows. Visual observations indicate that during the night continuous incandescence in the crater of the volcano could yesterday be observed. This phenomenon later was followed by a tremor episode and a moderate explosion that generated a steam column of water and ash, the exit of incandescent blocks and a strong cannon shot. With respect to activities, none have been reported. The state of the volcano indicates that the presence of the tremor registered during the night of yesterday, is related to a hydrothermal system, in which the gases and their passage through rock fractures generate a resonance that is registered in form of harmonic tremor. In September of year, a tremor of the same characteristics appeared, during a period of greater time, and than it was followed of an important explosive activity. It is thus, that in this case we could suggest the volcanic system still maintains a certain heat level that would allow him to generate new periods of greater explosividad to the one than it has been seen during these last weeks. It is recommended to maintain Alert Level Orange The colour of the volcanic alarm light continues at the ORANGE for volcano Tungurahua.