First there was the Poas, then  the Turrialba and now the Irazu. These three volcanoes are located in the Central Mountain Range of Costa Rica, and they are among the most visited in our country. Unfortunately, these three volcanoes have been presenting increased volcanic activity recently, which often leads to closures and restricted access to tourists.

Readers of The Costa Rica Star know that the Turrialba volcano in the province of Cartago currently is off limits to tourists due to ongoing eruptions that have closed roads, schools and even the main international airport at one point. A similar situation was experienced in the Poas volcano in the province of Alajuela last year, when phreatic eruptions sent volcanic matter flying several meters in the air, ultimately landing on startled tourists who scrambled for cover in the observation deck that offers a view of the main crater.

Now the Irazu volcano in the province of Cartago may become the latest tourist attraction in Costa Rica to restrict access to visitors. According to a report by Karla Gutierrez of daily tabloid Diario Extra, a series of landslides started to occur down the skirts of the Irazu on Friday morning, and major fissures are forming on the face of this colossus.

Communication tower technicians working in the area witnessed the landslides and quickly evacuated the area. The first landslide occurred around 8:00 am, and it was followed by six other landslides that lasted until about 1:00 pm. Structural damage at this time is limited to communication towers.

The Irazu volcano was already subject to temporary closures due to the activity of the nearby Turrialba. Seasoned volcano tourists know that the Irazu offers the best views of the Turrialba, but emergency officials decided to order temporary closures after geologists observing the Turrialba were engulfed in a heavy cloud of ash while observing eruptions. In fact, the ongoing seismicity in the Turrialba is believed to be the cause of the landslides at the Irazu.

Volcano tourists who visit Costa Rica can check on the status of the Central Mountain Range volcanoes by visiting their respective Facebook Timelines. Here’s how the current situation stands as of Saturday morning:

• Turrialba volcano: Closed
• Irazu volcano: Subject to temporary closures, please call (506) 2200-5025 between 8:00 am and 3:30 pm for more information.
• Poas volcano: Open and a great time to visit due to clear skies and a great view of the smoking crater.

It is important to note that the three volcanoes above are active, which means that they could experience eruptions and closures at any time. A strong recommendation beyond the Central Valley is the Arenal volcano, which is located near La Fortuna, one of Costa Rica’s most popular tourist attractions.