Ecuador - orange alert issued in areas of influence of Tungurahua volcano

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador volcano - eruption and seismic activity - 22 April 14

The seismic network in Ecuador has been having problems recently, having gone offline shortly after 2200 local time yesterday coming back online by 0700. Activity was quiet when the network went off-line. The morning was marked with an explosion about 0708 am local time, followed by a sustained medium level eruption starting about 0730.

The volcano is not fully asleep obviously, and the Geological Institute is still expecting a major eruption within the next two weeks, based on the "quieting", the deep magma movement indications, sides of the volcano moving/rising/tilting.. And the continual SO2 gas emission.

Bumps and small events continued thru the nite and morning.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador volcano - volcanic and seismic activity - 23 April 14

The volcano currently is rumbling and showing more activity than Reventador to the north in Ecuador. The 0200 am local time window seemed to be the time the volcano woke up and purged. There was continual low level puffs and events throughout the night and morning.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador volcano - volcanic and seismic activity - 24 April 14

The volcano currently is rumbling, puffing, with some periodic bumping and showing LESS activity than Reventador to the north in Ecuador.

[Bob]

Tunguraha UPDATE - statement by the Geophysical Institute 24 April 14

The surface activity of the Tungurahua volcano in the past two weeks shows a fluctuating trend, which is evident in the change between the low level of activity observed in the early morning of 20 April and sporadic episodes of emission of water vapor that little energy MSNC not exceeded 500 in a westerly direction preferentially recorded from this date and the three separated by intervals of about 5 minutes observed on 22 April in the afternoon broadcasts;

These explosions were characterized by moderate ash content (Fig. 1), being little energy, not being accompanied by acoustic energy (sound) and no greater heights to 2 km above the summit.

However, the seismic signals recorded persistent activity marked by numerous seismic events of long period (LP, 70 -100 events / day) to indicate a significant fluid movement within the volcano.

Additionally, deformation data inflation denote a clear trend in the northwestern flanks of the cone, especially in the upper part. The degassing rate ranges from 1000 to 1500 tons / day, rated as moderate value.

In the morning yesterday (02H00TL) came up with a volcano-tectonic earthquake (VT), the same as it was felt and reported by observers who are near the volcano. The event was a magnitude of 3.0 on the Richter scale and was located on the south-eastern volcano flank to 11 km below the crater.

A few minutes after the quake, a prolonged emission occurred, which was accompanied by roars of low intensity incandescent bearing blocks (Fig. 2) was recorded. After this event the volcano remained fairly quiet, with the registration of only two small explosions. (see the previous days posts)

Due to the oscillatory activity of the volcano and the aforementioned issues, it is estimated that major explosive events could occur in the coming days to weeks. Technicians Geophysical Institute, both in Quito and Tungurahua Volcano Observatory (OVT), are aware of changes having volcano and are constantly evaluating monitoring data and observation, to communicate promptly to the authorities and community at risk.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - volcanic and seismic activity 25 April 14

The volcano was very silent again, with only a short burst of activity starting about 1412 local time. There are a large quantity of small events as noted by the Geological Institute (see post above). They have not changed their warning about keeping an eye out for massive potential for explosive eruptive events, based on the deep magma sounds they have been noting.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador volcano - volcanic and seismic activity - 26 April 14

the volcano continues to show small events, and on occasion a long sustained vibration/rumble with moderate eruption

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador volcano - volcanic and seismic activity 27 April 14

between 0800 - 0900 and a short period thereafter, the volcano exhibited a strong rumbling/outgassing event. There are typically 8 events per hour, not extremely large, but continuing.

At the moment, and that can change at any moment, there are no spectacular eruptions happening.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador volcano - volcanic and seismic activity 28 April 14

There was a brief seismic spike, (quake) showing up at the volcano about 1730 with no appreciable change in output events. Closer to 0600 am local there was a brief period of roaring with some 6 minute in duration activity. These patterns diminished in amplitude, but continued until about 0900 am local where the events changed to more impulsive eruptive patterns. Those events lasted for no more than 1/2 a minute in length

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador volcano - volcanic and seismic activity 29 April 14

The volcano is "relatively" quiet still outputting gases, and puffs, of short duration. Continual pulses about 6 per hour is the emission rate.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador volcanic and seismic activity 30 April 14

The volcano was relatively quite last nite except for one event near midnite, and then there were small activity bumps, lesser in amplitude than yesterday present in the early morning at the time of this post. 6 per hour was about the same amount of activity when events were occurring.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - volcanic and seismic activity - 1 May 14

The volcano continued to puff out 4-5 events per hour, slowing down the rate and magnitude between 2300 hours and 0300 am this morning. Afterwards it started to resume its puffing, punctuated by brief periods of roaring.

At the moment there is no indication of deep seismic magma buildup nor serious explosive event, but this could still happen.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - activity 2 May 14

Activity dramatically reduced and stopped for 3-4 hours during the early morning, with one large puff about 0430 am local. 4 hours later there was one large puff.. This was followed by crackling spikey activity, a little puff about 0830, then moderate sized puffs about 0930 onward where close to 1000 am local, a large rumbling outgassing started. 8 medium sized events were located in this period of roaring activity.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - activity 3 May 14

Activity is reduced and stopped for 3-4 hours during the early morning, with one large puff about 0730 am local. Prior to midnite last night, there were puffs about 6 per hour gradually reducing.

4 hours later there was one large puff.. This was followed by crackling spikey activity, a minor sharp abrupt quake close to 1100 am local.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - activity 4 May 14

About 1130 am local time yesterday, small continual microseismic activity "noise level" increased and has continued throughout the night and into the morning today. Two through four small puffs/events were noted per hour, slightly increasing in frequency today. The significant change was the "noise level" (continual very small low level seismic activity, like a micro-roaring/sizzling).

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - activity 5 May 14

About 0330 am local time, there was a small explosive event. The volcano appears relatively quiet, with an occasional puff and slight magmatic pulse.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - activity 6 May 14

The volcano was quiet yesterday, and activity picked up shortly before 1000 today, with a large sustained seismic event lasting 2 minutes. After this the magmatic pulses started back up with 1-3 events per hour. A larger magmatic explosion occurred about 1530 and again at 1730 local.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano activity 7 May 14

Continuing minor eruption, puffing and bumping up to 6 bumps per hour, some making the characteristic choochoo locomotive sound that Tungurahua is noted for.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - activity 8 May 14

The volcano this morning came alive again, from its quiet period of the last few days.

Explosive events started up about 0820 am local time with a 3 minute explosion. This was punctuated with about 15 small seismic events, followed by about 30 minutes of heightened eruptive activity that diminished at 1020 local time.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - activity 9 May 14

Minor activity was noted during yesterday's late evening into the early morning hours.

3 Explosive events were noted between 0700 and 0800 hours local time.

[Bob]

Tungurahua Ecuador Volcano - activity 10 May 14

Activity picked up during the night yesterday with events showing up strongly as explosions between 1900 and 2300 hours. During the later morning time, a seismic event was noted 1 hour earlier than the event noted a CotoPaxi, further north, but in the volcanic arc chain. Something is happening in the magmatic river feed apparently.