A strong eruption of the Cotopaxi volcano would cause lahars that would reach the Pacific Ocean

Historical records detail that on June 26, 1877 the Cotopaxi volcano it had a great eruptive phase that surprised the scientists of the time due to the damage it caused. Pyroclastic flows melted part of the colossus glacier and this produced lahars (mud and debris flows) that reached the Pita, Cutuchi and Tamboyacu rivers.

The lahars caused extensive mud flooding and destruction in the surrounding areas. In addition, it took them a little over half an hour to reach Latacunga, a little less than an hour to arrive at the Valle de los Chillos, about three hours to reach the area of ​​Baños (Tungurahua) and it took them 18 hours to reach the mouth of the Esmeraldas River in the Pacific Ocean.

For this type of activity, the Cotopaxi is the volcano that would generate the greatest risk to the country if it erupts with force and that is why it is also one of those with a broader monitoring network.. “The municipalities near this volcano should not only think about saving the populations at risk, but also livelihoods such as roads, bridges. Also, do not allow the construction of houses where they know that the lahars will come down in the event of a strong eruption,” says Rodrigo Rosero, deputy minister of the National Risk and Emergency Management Service.

In 2015 Cotopaxi also had an eruptive process, although it was considered small, it forced the area to be closed for tourism and access to its summit was not allowed for a year. The ash fall affected surrounding populations and, especially, agriculture and livestock, adds Silvana Hidalgo, director of the Geophysical Institute.

The recurrence period of an eruption of this volcano is between 80 and 150 years. Maurizio Mulas, a professor at the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, affirms that the strong eruptive history of Cotopaxi should generate a constant state of alert in the Ecuadorian population: “History, science tells us that if there was a strong eruption in the past, in the future there will also be. All volcanoes must be monitored, but those that can cause greater damage must be prioritized.”

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TO the resellerin Napo, is also considered one of the most active and whose volcanic activity can cause serious economic damage to the State. Its pyroclastic flows would reach the E-45 highway (Amazon trunk), the Heavy Crude Oil Pipeline (OCP, which was recently affected by rock falls), the Trans-Ecuadorian Pipeline System (SOTE) and other strategic systems. In addition, there is a population that would suffer from the ash.

“This Government is thinking that the E-45 passes through the sidewalk in front, in simple terms, so that it is not exposed to anything from El Reventador. In addition, a project for Petroecuador is that, in the medium term, it changes the SOTE and OCP pipes so that they also pass through the front”, says Rosero.

Sangay, Guagua Pichincha and Tungurahua are also volcanoes that are closely monitored, since their geology has determined that their eruptions can have a long range. “The Tungurahua is estimated to have an eruption per century, the Pichincha has a recurrence period between 400 and 600 years. Although small eruptions do not enter the geological record of volcanoes and this can affect the recurrence period, Hidalgo points out. (I)