Tungurahua / Ecuador : Always intense activity, but change of style.

The activity of the volcano Tungurahua is still important these days , characterized by harmonic tremor and various explosions.

On February 8 , cloudiness prevented visual observations. Ash falls were reported on Palictahua , south of the volcano.

     Tungurahua night of 08.02.2014 - photo Carlos Larrea Maldonado / Univer. Andina Simon Bolivar

End of the day 09.02, the Tungurahua presents a modified style of eruption : violent explosions give way to a continuous emission of ash and gas , amount on average 500 m. above the crater, but reaching 4,000 meters at times. Degassing is important.

On the night of 9 to 10 , Strombolian activity ejected incandescent blocks that down slopes more than one kilometer.

                   Tungurahua 02/09/2014 - photo Jose Luis Espinosa - Naranjo

                       Tungurahua 02/09/2014 - photo Jose Luis Espinosa - Naranjo

Tungurahua 09.02.2014 / 8:45 p.m. - strombolian activity , plume of ash and rock falls - photo Jose Luis Espinosa - Naranjo

                  Tungurahua 02.09.2014 / 10:30 p.m. - photo Jose Luis Espinosa - Naranjo

On 10.02 , the clouds hid the view of the volcano , leaving a plume appearing intermittently amount to 500 meters above the crater, before dispersing to the NW. Ash falls were observed on Quero and Mocha, to the northwest .

                   Tungurahua - the ash plume 10/02/2014 / 11:37 p.m. UTC - webcam IG / OVT

The 11.02 , still a significant cloudiness and no good pictures of webcams.

                   Tungurahua under the clouds - 02.11.2014 / 3:33 p.m. - webcam IG / Pillate

Collateral Damage : according to Global News / Associeted Press, the eruptions of Tungurahua damaged acres of crops and would cause food shortages for livestock. To minimize losses, the farmers began to harvest tomatoes and potatoes before they have reached maturity . In Guayaquil , the price of onions, corn and potatoes increased by 10 %.

Sources:
- IGEPN - daily reports and webcams
- Thanks to my friend Jose Luis Espinosa - Naranjo for its photo sharing .