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 I always went very early in the morning to take food to my brothers working on the other side of Tabacon River: walking through the woods I always heard, it. That day I heard the sound of what I thought was the plane but it was stronger, I thought I was late because I had not reached the place where I usually heard the plane, then I started to run so that my brothers did not get mad al me.When I crossed Tabacon River it fell hotter than usual but I did not stop. Reaching the place where my brothers were working they fold lo me that they were frightened, they asked if I knew something about the volcano since they direction. We all turned back and started running toward our house: everything was destroyed, were dead". With these few words Jose Rafael Soto H. relates what happened that day in 1968 at Arenal Volcano. |
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It has to be assumed that at the Hme there was no monitoring of volcanoes in Costa Rica. Arenal as well as other volcanoes in our country had not been studied, for many years it was known as ARENAL PEAK. Recent studies suggest that Arenal's latest activity took place between 1200 and 1500 A.D. People that had climbed to the summit years betore the explosion reported that they could leel some heat between the rocks and see some fumaroles, they also said that the temperature in Tabacon River had increased. The night before the explosion the seismic activity was so intense that people from Fortuna and El Castillo were scared; some survivors said that they felt earthquakes ail night long. Arenal, betore the activity o1 1968. was showing critical signs that would lead to the present activity that began at 07:30,a.m.(local lime) July 29.1968. |
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Large blocks were deposited near crater A and some reached approximately 5Km from it: on impact they formed craters up to 20m wide and 2m deep. The temperature of gases emitted was so high that vegetation was instantaneously dehydrated and even carbonized. Eighty seven people were kilted in the villages of Tabacon and Pueblo Nuevo On July 31 a new pyroclastic flow occurred, this time 6 persons travelling in two vehicles were killed. One consequence of the devastation and deposition of large amounts of ash, heavy rain generated cold lahars in rivers and streams, mainly down in the Tabacon River valley. |
| Late on September 19, the begining of the first lava flow was observed flowing out of crater A, moving to the NW, this flow continued, until 1973.
During 1973, activity migrated lo crater C, localizing at approximately 1450 m. a.s.l. from this vent permanent emission of lavas, sporadic pyroclastic flows, constant emission of gas, and were occurring intermittent explosions emitting blocks and ash.
Until June 1984 characteristic activity at Arenal included lava descending the different fianks of crater C with sporadic eruptions of pyrodastic material. Since that time strombolian activity has become more frequent.Due to the accumulation of materials around crater C, the height has increased and currently two cones occupy the summit, old crater (D) to the east and crater C to the west.
Pyroclastic flows, although not so large and constant as in 1968, have bean observed frequently: in July 19B7 and March 1968 two flows traveled down the south Hank and terminated 1 Km from the crater destroying all vegetation in their path. On August 28. 1993 the northern wall of crater C collapsed due to the pressure of the out pouring lava. For approximately the next 20 minutes tour glowing avalanches could be seen. "these flows traveled west approximately 1 Km and northeast to approximately 400 m from the road between Fortuna and Tilaran, several pyroclastic flows descended from crater C down the northwest flank. This activity kept on up to 7:00 p.m. A total of 23 flows were produced with distances averaging 1.5 km. On august £3, 2000, at 10:15 a.m. the lava flow front descending from crater C, towards the ME collapsed forming a pyroclaslic flow. Three people that were ascending to see the lava were caught &y gases at a high temperature, as a consequence a lour guide died later that night, at a hospital in San Jose and a little girl died days later In the U.S. Pyroclastic flows continued later that day originating the most important flow at 1:47 p.m., materials deposited reached as far as the Cedeño Lake, devastating all vegetation. People continue to visit Arenal to hear the explosions and see the extrusion of lavas rolling down the flanks as well as to see the emission ofgas and ash: phenomena that makes Arenal. |
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 On July 31 a "nuee ardente" accurred traveling due north of crater A: severals persons in two vehicles trying to help with the emergency were killed.Before the activity began in 1968, Arenal Volcano was covered by dense vegetation. On June 29,1968 about 07:30 am a very string eruption accurred ; a ( a nuee ardente ) destroyed everithing to the west of thr volcano. All of vegetation was destroyed and a large number of impact craters were formed by blocks and bombs of differents sizes. |
 With the first explosion of July 29,1968 a crater was formed on the west side of the Volcano at an elevation of 1000m.,this was named crater A. On September of the same year ,the fist lava flow was seen comming aout the crater A. This activity was continouus until 1973 when a lava dome formed in crater A due to the high viscosity of the lava and very low effusion rate. |
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