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Esteban Felix / AP
A Nicaraguan soldier wears a protective mask as the San Cristobal volcano, in background, spews smoke and ash, near Chinandega, Nicaragua, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012.
MANAGUA -- Nicaragua's tallest volcano belched an ash cloud nearly a mile into the atmosphere on Saturday, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of nearby residents who heard explosions emanating from its crater.
The 5,725-foot San Cristobal volcano, which sits around 95 miles north of the capital Managua in the country's northwest, has been active in recent years, and stirred in mid-2008, when it expelled gas and rumbled with a series of small eruptions.
Government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo said authorities were still assessing the strength of the volcanic activity. Nearby residents were being evacuated. He said as many as 20,000 people could ultimately be affected by the gas and ash from the volcano.
In 2009, the volcano let off a series of explosions, spewing gases on nearby towns.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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An earthquake in China, a tornado in New York City, a volcano in Nicaragua... What's next for our entertainment? For those involved, it isn't entertaining at all; but for the rest of us it is.
I hope whomever wrote the story meant that the volcano was "about" 95 miles North instead of "around" 95 miles. I would hate to live iin the center of a volcano that spanned 180 miles.
There is always C-Span 1 & 2, Sci Fi, and Fox news for entertainment as the celebrities vie for whom will be the next President of the United States. Should be a real time series show starting on FX real soon.
lets not forget the earthquakes in california today from LA to Fresno
It's a big planet, always active. Something is always bound to be happening somewhere.
@Numb3rTech - For people who live in Wyoming around Yellow Stone Park, that lake there you see in the map is the throat of one of the world's super volcanoes and it is about 400,000 years overdue to erupt. When it finally happens, it will most likely take out 3/4th's of the USA and Canada.
I'm on a HAARP kick this week (damn You Tube); I'd love to see what this technology can really do - just on another planet. If population control really is underway, what HAARP might actually be capable of, will make 9-11 look like a minor traffic accident. Are there people sick enough to take us out with the push of a button?
TheKhanKubla
First span between eruptions was estimated at 800,000yrs. Second span estimated at 660,000yrs. And it has now been estimated at 640,000yrs since last eruption, I don't see that as 400,000yrs overdue.
Shoot, I was planning a trip there next year...now I'm a little paranoid.
I am going to the big island of Hawaii in November and it has not one but two active volcanos: Kilauea and Mauna Loa. There are active volcanos in the U.S., and many parts of the Americas. (For example, Colima, a small state in western México has two volcanos, "fire and ice", one active, the other not lately.) Airline traffic worldwide has been disrupted by volcanic ash, both from an Icelandic volcano and one in Chile that has affected much of South America. Long story, but I almost didn't get home in time for Thanksgiving last year from URUGUAY on the other side of the continent because of THAT last one. Check latest conditions to be sure there is no undue threat and GO!
Mickey, Mt. Fuji is expected to erupt at any time with possibilty of losses up to 300,000. Gee, I sure wish I lived at the bottom of a live volcano.
Then there is Vesuvius in Italy, with many folks living at its foot! It has been active for millenia (witness Pompei and Ercolano AKA Herculaneum.) There are few places on earth to live where there is not some danger of natural disaster (avalanches, hurricanes, typhoons, floods, fires, tornados, earthquakes.) I have lived most of my life in California, where the earth is very unsteady; but, I had to go to New Zealand to almost end up UNDER a landslide!
Don't forget Mount Rainier in Washington. It's still live and has a long cycle before blowing its top. Unlike Mount St. Helen's, Rainier is located close to major population centers. When it does go off, it will create major floods and mudflows from the melted snowpack. With Seattle and Tacoma right in its path, you're talking major economic damage and significant loss of life. For anyone living in the path of Rainier, if they do not take an early evacuation warning seriously, there's a small window of time between evacuation sirens and a life threatening sirens; the rule of thumb is there's 30 minutes between the sirens and big trouble, so that means 30 minutes to get out of the path and head to higher ground. Same is true if Rainier blows its top out of nowhere. It's like any other situation where people live in disaster hot zones: those who don't have an emergency gameplan in place ahead of time usually don't live to tell about it.
Honey, isn't this a beautiful place for our home? Look at that view.
Yes, but dear, behind us is a volcano.
Don't worry about it. It's extinct. It hasn't erupted in centuries.
Famous last words
Hmmmm...and still in denial about 2012 ?
OLP the nord!,
"Hmmmm...and still in denial about 2012 ?"
I was always very skeptical of that 2012 thing, but now I am beginning to wonder with all the weird crap that has been going on lately.
tstucker0958,
"Mt. Fuji is expected to erupt at any time with possibilty of losses up to 300,000. Gee, I sure wish I lived at the bottom of a live volcano"
I hadn't heard about that. I have flown over Mount Fuji a number of times. It's very pretty, especially in the Winter when it has a snow cap, but you're right. I wouldn't want to live at the base of it when it gets angry.
"Hmmmm...and still in denial about 2012 ?"
Good grief. Try Googling 'tectonic plates'. Do some research. Increase your IQ and you'll realize that this occurs all the time...
Educated without berating, please. Exposing someone to earth sciences should be joy in itself.
Well, no. It IS 2012. If you mean the world is going to end then, well, yes. The earth has been subject to volcanos, etc. since pre-history. Global warming, on the other hand, may be the death of us if we continue in denial.
If the world doesn't end in 2012, will all of you who believe this go live on some remote island or something?
New York was hit with killer tomatoes. The end is near!!!!
yes, deadly those killer tomatoes, bus such a catchy theme song!
Niaragua is absolutely fantastic. I live in Costa Rica and the cost of living here is equal to the US. Nicaragua is half the price and more beautiful, less cars and prettier women....trust me, I have a house in Nicalandia.....
Viva Nicaragua! I always spend my spring break in Nicaragua. With $2000 airplane ticket included, two weeks off, and the best all inclusive hotel in the area, Nicaragua is a nice deal for anyone.
I love that the volcanoes are active, however I hope nicaraguan people take care of themselves. But you can't always fight with nature, and that is what Nicaragua is all about.
I know that part of it is the ease of reporting events in the age of the internet, but it does seem like there are more and more events happening more and more frequently.
Global warming.
Agreed.As James Baldwin wrote,"Lord said,no more water,its the fire next time".What is done is done.Only actions on the US. part can lead humanity to preserve ,at least in some semblance the planet's ability to support future generations.Better get to it,America..if we're going to lead.
Its true,everything now happens in real time,I was watching the tornado on Tv as it was happening,and I'm thinking that it was about the size of the one that hit Springfield MA last year.Yea they leave a mess but we up here in New York and New England get those a lot.Yea being exposed to events almost daily that happen in real time is because of the Internet,it is now easy to upload pictures of volcanoes erupting in real time as it is with any other event,but I do not believe we are seeing more events happen,we just know about them sooner.
global warming is hogwash
People like you genuinely scare me.
It may well be just better reporting, but those folks in the Bronx saw a tornado today. There does seem to be more earthquakes of late. We are having normal earth changes but I do believe they are more frequent all over the place.
Financial disasters can be just as devastating and happen anywhere. Stock up on some groceries. I live in Idaho but have some deep sea fishing equipment!
Our grandmother used to tell us the same thing 45 years ago, and insisted that it mean the end of the world was happening ... right then.
The fate of all life on this planet is sealed, and that includes the pest species – Homo Tyranicus. A former head of the Royal Society has stated that Man has less than a 50% chance of surviving this century, so every other life form has virtually no chance.
Not true, meltdown. There will be many species of life on this planet long after we are gone in the next mass extinction. The idea that Humankind has some lock on survival over other species is ignorant at best and narcissistic at worst. Life will continue, just not us. Get over it.
Mickey yes Mt Fujis internal pressure is higher than its ever been. Last week we had the costa rica quake I believe it was last monday , then it was california, following day, then china had a quake. and the day after that was Mt Fuji warning (all in one week) I hate to be a doom and gloomer but some kind of S$%^ is going on. And it aint global warming. From what Ive seen, not to bring the Myans into this but we are at the end of a 25000 year cycle, that occurs 12-21-2012. I hope its all not true we shall see.
Bring it on. I can't wait. The only reason I'm sticking around now is to see if 2012 will do it for me. If it doesn't, I'm going to be one pissed off lady. I didn't ask to be here and this "God" that no one has ever seen sure as hell doesn't seem to care about the fate of any of us. He took my son at 19 years old. Where was "God" when my son was in such despair he took his own life? No word, no sign for him and none for me either. I'm just to stay here and grieve the rest of this sorry-ass life? I don't think so. But I'll try to wait and see what happens. If nothing happens, I'll take care of myself---just as I ALWAYS have.
yea I think the Ring of Fire is starting up one of it's active phases again,remember the San Fran Earthquake was in 1908..Earth wobbles like a top in space and the Sun has phases of it's own it goes thru.We hardly have been a sentient species in the time that these events happen,so guess what?..We get to see them for the 1st time!...yay...
Not really, no...this year has been actually fairly unremarkable for volcanic activity. So far this century has been quiet considering last century as well. It would be fun to see what the doomers would have made of the early 20th century. In 1902 Mt. Pelee erupts destroying Saint Pierre and killing 25,000. In 1908 Katmai-Novarupta erupts massively, darkening the skies in Alaska for 60 hours. In fact, most of the major volcanoes in Pelee's arc activated in 1902. 1963 Irazu in Costa Rica erupted while JFK was visiting and he was dead a month later: oh noes! In 1944 Vesuvius erupted explosively while Allied soldiers were taking the capital. There were also many, many other eruptions and earth quakes, two volcanoes erupted in the lower 48, etc. The 19th century was even worse with Krakatau in 1883 and the largest eruption in modern human history: the 1814 eruption of Tambora. The point is, volcanoes erupt regularly but recently the activity has been at lower levels...none of what's going on now is bothersome.
heartogold
Bring it on. I can't wait. The only reason I'm sticking around now is to see if 2012 will do it for me. If it doesn't, I'm going to be one pissed off lady. I didn't ask to be here and this "God" that no one has ever seen sure as hell doesn't seem to care about the fate of any of us. He took my son at 19 years old. Where was "God" when my son was in such despair he took his own life? No word, no sign for him and none for me either. I'm just to stay here and grieve the rest of this sorry-ass life? I don't think so. But I'll try to wait and see what happens. If nothing happens, I'll take care of myself---just as I ALWAYS have.
Im thinking about you.
The key is cycle. Mayans did not look at time as a linear function. That is a Western european religious view.
heartogold.... I too am hoping for a good clean massive end to all of this. I gave up that belief in some god. I had to die twice and have that experience to find the real answers. Now I look forward to death as a new beginning. If the end does not pan out this year I am going to be pissed as well.
I understand the deep painful agony in the soul when you loose someone who is your very life. I assure you there is a peaceful understanding in your future. Just be patient. You have done this before and you will do it again...with many friends and loved ones. No heaven, no hell, just forever...again and again. We have to keep busy as eternity is a long, long time. No god, just adventure.
Rutro, Earth quakes in Costa Rico, California ,and China and now this . Dec. 21 2012 is getting nearer. I'm going to party down on the 20th of Dec. I think that it's all Al Gore's fault.
... it's time to paaaaarty like is nineteen niiiinety ... er ... oh **** ... wrong end of the world ... what rhymes with 2012, anyway? ...
What a bunch of idiots , commenting !!!
East Side Chicago gal, I would not expect anything less form you! why would you even presume to be
any smarter than any of the rest of the people commenting on this? get a life and criticise yourself because the rest of us do not care to hear it.
Hogwash. She stated her opinion just like you stated your foolish opinion.
and yet...here you are.
I wouldn't think that anything could be more idiotic than to admit to living in $hitcago, home of the world famous drive by welcoming committee. Courtesy of your friendly local ghetto inhabitants.
Have you guys also seen the story about the Yangtze River turning red?
Don't forget the Blue moon! Had to say it.
Well, there's the equivalent of a years worth of "man made" CO2, Methane, Hydrogen Sulfide and a host of other crap going into the atmosphere a day If Fuji goes even more, and if Rainer, Hood and the Yellow Stone Caldera happen go, well, I think the climate change will be the least of our worries.
Out of the 4 you mention, the only one that would be a global catastrophe is Yellowstone--the other 3 would be local disasters, but pikers by comparison. Yellowstone is one of several megavolcanoes, erupting, on average, every 600,000 years. The last one went off 640,000 years ago. It ejected 240 CUBIC MILES of rock and ash. A year without a summer? Try a decade...
Nicodenus, we are responsible for over a hundred times as much CO2 emissions as volcanoes.
If they are evacuating people, they might as well bring them to the US. I've been needing some more laborers to complete my landscaping project.
Maybe they can relocate the evacuated people here. I've been needing more workers to finish my landscaping project.
Who ever wrote that little piece must be gender neutral, in the 3dr para. 1st sentence Murillo is a "she", in the 2nd sentence they are a "he". Trust me you don't want to live anywhere down wind of a volcano, I was stationed at Mt Hebo AFS, OR and lived in Tillamook, OR when St. Helens popped her cork. The first, biggest, pop went east and made a mell of a hess in central and eastern WA, the second time it popped a few days later the wind was blowing S.W. and we got a good dusting. I stuffed a piece of foam sprayed with filter oil to keep from destroying the engine in my Nissan Pick-up. The first time I mowed my lawn I had to resharpen the blade in the mower at least three times. As to the river in China one of the earthquakes probably busted open a big deposit of iron oxide (rust) and that turned the river rusty red.
Feel sorry for the lady whose son took his life. Very easy to blame God, but honest it wasn't God, it was his arch enemy..If you read your Bible, and you should be you would know that in the last days there will be lots of things happening and they will get worse..the Bible calls it "birth pangs" similiar to a woman in labor..Preparing for the end of the age..For those who are Christians it's an exciting time, because we know who holds our future. Check out Louie Giglio ..not sure if I spelled that right..he has some amazing pictures of our solar system..if you interested in that kind of thing.
All of these things have been happening for billions of years, so while they are always exciting, it can't be a sign of anything new.
You mean The Satan ("The Satan", because "Satan" is not a name, it's a job description)? The Angel that holds that title and is charged with challenging God by God himself? Just another example of how Christianity stole and bastardized the stories they hold to be true from other, older religions.
Arch enemy? Why would an omnipotent and omniscient being create an enemy (remember, according to religion, God created everything) that can best him so easily and regularly?
The Pacific Ring of Fire sure is getting active lately isn't it?
This isn't global warming, this is something else. Look at the patterns. Earthquakes and Volcanos have nothing to do with what we introduce into the atmosphere. We are facing something we have not thought of yet. But for now the only thing we can do is be ready to take care of ourselves instead of depending on the system to take care of us.
Agreed Darksidi
BS. Global warming is within our control if only we have the will. The rest has always happened. Tectonic plates shift. Always have, always will.
We are past the tipping point. Whatever happens from now on we can do nothing about it. Just prepare and hope you are in the right place at the right time. This planet has done it's thing for millions of years. It may just be getting ready to flush the crap that has accumulated over the last few thousand years.
Yeah, who knows, it might just shake it's shaggy coat like a flea bitten dog and eject humanity into outer space.
This is not global warming, this is something else. What we have entroduced, leaving our carbin mark on the planet has nothing to do with earthquakes or volcanos. What ever it is we need to be ready to take care of ourselves instead of the system taking care of us. Be ready my friends.... tornados in New Yrok, earthquakes in virginia, we will face our challenge... whatever mother nature throws at us. Just be ready. Last winter DC was hit with an ice storm that cause people to have to walk home. Some didn't make it, some got sick and are not here anymore. Be ready....
We cant and wont beat mother nature, its a battle you are gonna lose.
Its not global warming,its the result of global warming, theres a clue in the name- the earth heats up and has to vent.
Prepare all you want, our carbon footprint is about to kick you dumb little monkeys,square in the ass.
Hey Whitey, care to put a wager on that, oh great wise one? Who are you? Just because you believe what you read, you know everything!
Get over yourself!
Hell that gas coming out of the Volcano is nothing compared to the Gas these Politicians are spewing out these days.
Ok at everyone that posted the world is coming to an end. It is said that no one will be expecting the world to come to an end it will be when it is least expected. Everyone that is planning on Dec. 21, 2012 is in for a rude awakening. Secondly does anyone remember all the earthquakes and the volcano that spread an ash cloud for several days at the end of May 2011? Or all the major and I mean major earthquakes that happened that same year? It is a natural process in which the tectonic plates are constantly on the move and that is all. You would think that with the internet era if you have time to post comments here about the earth coming to an end you would have time to look up how these things actually work. Oh and for anyone that believes this is global warming there are scientists out there now that used to believe in global warming that are actually saying this is the earths natural cycle. Think about it. There was an ice age a long time ago and so from that I guess we could say the earth has been in global warming since the ice age ended. I am so tired of listening to people rant and rave about global warming. Is there nothing better to worry about? Say something like trying to stop crime or find cures for diseases? Can you change the end of the world happening? No! Ok if global warming exists if you are doing your part to try to stop it by say not driving a car to get to work, the grocery store and wherever else you are going but instead riding a bike then bravo for you. Don't make everything about global warming and realize that the earth is doing what it has always done! Also I could really care less if anyone disagrees with me or agrees with me. I figure with everyone posting their opinions I might as well throw mine out there too.
Ok what about 2011 when the volcano erupted in Iceland or the many MAJOR earthquakes there were that year? Is this honestly worse than last year or is this the earth doing what it has always done? Oh wait you mean the earth has always done this? Holy cow when did this start? Get a life people and stop planning for the end of the world and being a doom speaker! No one can change when it ends anyway. Besides no one knows the date or the time let alone the year of which the world is going to end. Not even Jesus knows so get off the end of the world kick already! I am 34 years old and the end of the world was supposedly going to happen at least 15 times that I can think of already in my lifetime with 2YK being the biggest talk of it until now. These are my opinions and they will not change but seriously lets worry about more important things like stopping crime or finding cures for diseases or whatever we can actually make a difference on. As far as global warming believe what you want but don't blame everything on global warming.
After your first post I thought,alright this guy is on drugs. Now I realize you are just an idiot.
You say your opinion cant be changed,so I wont try to enlighten you with facts.
blame it on jessica gonzales and her chinese boyfriends
The Pacific Ocean Plate is diving under the Nicaragua (0.61 mm/year) in 1.2 billion years or so if this remains true, New Zeeland will just off the coast, saving travel time.