COSTA Rica’s Arenal volcano has erupted, spewing geysers of lava, ash and toxic gases from its crater and forcing the evacuation of the national park where it is located. The 1633 metre tall mountain shuddered into activity at 4am on May 25th issuing eight successive rivers of lava that flowed down its steep slopes.
Apparently nobody was at risk from the eruptions but to be safe, authorities evacuated the Arenal National Park, which is in Northern Costa Rica and only 80km north-east of San Jose the capital. The last major eruption in July 1968 killed 87 people. And there have been at least six small eruptions over the past 35 years.
