Monday 30 June 2014
Arenal Volcano, in Spanish Volcan Arenal, is an active andesitic stratovolcano in north-western Costa Rica around 90 km northwest of San Jose, in the province of Alajuela, canton of San Carlos, and district of La Fortuna. The Arenal volcano measures at least 1,633 metres. It is conically shaped with a crater spanning 140 metres. Geologically, Arenal is considered a young volcano and the age is estimated to be less than 7,500 years. It is also known as "Pan de Azucar", "Canaste", "Volcan Costa Rica", "Volcan Rio Frio" or "Guatusos Peak". The volcano was dormant for hundreds of years and exhibited a single crater at its summit, with minor fumaroles activity, covered by dense vegetation. In 1968 it erupted unexpectedly, destroying the small town of Tabacon. Due to the eruption three more craters were created on the western flanks but only one of them still exists today. Since October 2010, Arenal's volcanic activity appears to be decreasing and explosions have become rare, with no explosions reported between December 2010 and October 2012. Source
