GALAPAGOS NATIONAL PARK DIRECTOR REPORTS ON THE VOLCANIC ERUPTION
The Chico volcano is now no longer running. Virtually all the lava flowed into the caldera and flowed round from north to south-west. There is still smoke and sulphur and light scoria all around.
During the constant monitoring carried out by the staff of the Galapagos National Park, the lava continues to flow with the same intensity. The populations of marine iguanas and giant tortoises have not been affected. The Galapagos National Park has opened a visiting site so that visitors can see this natural spectacle.
Yesterday, Washington Tapia, the Director of the Galapagos National Park, said that Park staff, accompanied by Dr Minard Hall, a vulcanologist from the Geographic Institute of the National Polytechnic (IGM), have flown over the area affected by the volcanic eruption.
They found that there is no longer lava coming out from the side of the crater but is now flowing back into the crater - which measures 10 kilometres in diameter and is the second largest in the world.
Washington Tapia said that the lava had destroyed the vegetation inside of Sierra Negra. However, he does not currently have any information about damage to the fauna of the area.
The eruption is not posing a threat to the local population of the town of Puerto Villamil which is 42 kilometres from the volcano.
..Top
|
