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SAN JOSE, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano saw two eruptions of gas and ash in just over an hour on Monday, according to the county's Volcanology and Seismology Observatory (Ovsicori).
The first eruption was registered at 7:22 a.m. local time as the volcano belched smoke and ash up to 3,000 meters in the air, before the second one happened at 8:26 am, with the plume reaching 1,500 meters high.
The volcano is located in the province of Cartago, 37 km east of the capital, San Jose.
According to the country's National Seismological Network (RSN), the eruptions were the consequence of a "sustained volcanic tremor," which grew steadily from around 11:00 p.m. local time on Sunday.
Oviscori added that winds had dispersed the ash to the southeast of the volcano, where some of Costa Rica's most densely populated areas can be found.
Turrialba has been undergoing a period of intermittent activity since late 2015, having erupted various times and blanketing parts of Costa Rica with ash.
Volcanic ash can cause breathing, skin and visual ailments, while also contaminating crops and drinking water.
