Tuesday 9th March 2021 – For the second time this year, the San Cristóbal Volcano (the most active volcano in Nicaragua) erupted leaving ash and debris over much of the northwest part of the City of Chinandega. As the clean-up continues today, so does the monitoring by the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies (Instituto Nicaragüense de Estudios Territoriales – INETER).
Eye witnesses report hearing a single large explosion, followed by about 30 minutes of gas, ash and debris. There were no reports of injury or serious property damage.
Wind kept the ash low which made visibility difficult. Many businesses closed as a precautionary measure and to clean up the mess.
Ironically, the government of Nicaragua was holding a planned nationwide disaster simulation on Wednesday, 10th of March 2021 and groups were dispatched to the area to visit members of communities that may have been affected by the gas and ash.
Teams from SILAIS Chinandega were checking for those with breathing, vision and skin issues following the eruption. SILAIS (Sistema Local de Atención Integral en Salud) is the Local System of Comprehensive Health Care, the decentralized delivery arm of MINSA, the Ministry of Health.
The San Cristóbal Volcano (Saint Christopher) is the tallest of 26 volcanos in Nicaragua with an elevation of 1,780 meters (5,840 feet). It last erupted at 3:05pm on the 14th of February 2021. On that occasion, a similar explosion released steam and ash from the summit which rose to about 7,500 ft. (2,300 meters).
Also known as “El Viejo” (the old one), San Cristóbal has a cone that measures 500 x 600 meters and is the main volcano of a group of five. The other four are: El Chonco, Moyotepe, Volcán Casita and La Pelona. Volcán Casita was the site of the deadly landslides caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
Although it’s the most active volcano in Nicaragua, when its not erupting it’s still possible to hike up the difficult and very steep San Cristóbal. Guides from León or Chinandega offer hiking tours.
