Abstract:
The Rincón de la Vieja (10º 49′ 40″ N, 85º 19′ 42″ W, 1700 m a.s.l.),
andesitic stratovolcano is located at about 25 km NE of Liberia city, in
NW Costa Rica, on the Guanacaste volcanic range. Its historical volcanic
activity takes place in the Active Crater (hosting a 200 m wide hot-acidic
lake), is characterized by the occurrence of several phreatic and
phreatomagmatic eruptive events that produce frequent lahars affecting
mainly the northern low lands. Minor effects by ash, water contamination
and acid rain are brought by these episodes to other communities in other
directions.
Rincón has had several eruptions in the last 40 years, being the most
recent; 1966-67, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995 and 1998. Communities like Dos
Ríos de Upala, Gavilán, Buenos Aires and others are subject to frequent
threats besides their common hazards by their hostile weather. Located
some 7 km North from the active crater these communities have endure in
the past the loss of plantations, bridges, roads and communication among
them.
No specific local emergency plans have been designed to these
communities. An informal alert system was set up by the National
Emergency Commission and fortunately since it was installed there has
not been the chance to test its usefulness. Meanwhile communities are in
need of organization and understanding of the elements threatening them.
Only in recent years some of these communities around volcanoes have
been taken into account in regional emergency governmental plans. Very
few have specific organizational, response, evacuation or preparedness
plans. Thus, they have been historically neglected to play a primary role in
volcanic emergency plans. Specific studies to assess perception, level of
organization, resources and capabilities will be needed in the near future in
order to create fundamental links between scientists, state emergency
agencies and settlers.
