Volcano erupts (image courtesy El Mercurio newsaper)
Truck in our parking lot with fine layer of volcanic ash
We lived in Beaverton, Oregon in 1980 when Mt St. Helens erupted. We could see the eruption from our house, and ash covered the town several times over the following weeks. Today we had a small visitation that brought back those memories. A volcano erupted about 210 km North of us. We only got a very slight dusting, and it was easy to not even notice what was going on, other than an odd murkiness in the air and slippery sidewalks that left a slight trail when walked on.
This morning we read what had really happened. Following is a snippet from Gringo Tree, a local English language email newsletter oriented towards expats here in Cuenca:
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Cuenca Gets Volcanic Ashfall For only the second time in memory, Cuenca has been dusted with volcanic ash. It came early Sunday morning from the eruption of the Tungurahua volcano, 210 kilometers to the north. The previous ashfall came during an erpution of the Sangay volcano almost 60 years ago. According to meteorologists, the ash from Tungurahua reached Cuenca due to a variation in the normal pattern of high-altitude winds. The overnight ashfall was enough to force temporary closure of the Cuenca airport and bring out battalions of city street sweepers; the city opted for brooms, concerned that washing away the ash with water could clog city sewers. Cuenca got off easy: In towns and cities near the volcano, such as Ambato and Baños, ash deposits were up to four inches deep. Saturday’s explosions at Tungurahua sent an ash plume almost six miles into the atmosphere and aviation authorities said the cloud could shut down air travel for the entire country if it persists, and if winds shift to the west. Although health officials said the Cuenca ashfall did not pose serious health threats, they advised people with respiratory problems to remain indoors and wear masks when they go outside. |