Status: Yellow alert

Volcano status: In eruptive process

Internal activity: High

Surface activity: Moderate

The Cotopaxi volcano keeps its internal activity levels high and surface activity moderate. Yesterday, during the afternoon, gas and ash emissions continued, with southwest and west direction, reaching up to 500 meters above the crater. These contained a low to moderate load of ash. Satellite images at night showed ash emissions in southwestern direction. This Saturday, the volcano dawned clear, with emission of steam and ash that reached a height of 100 meters above the crater level, with west direction. There have been no rains in the sector.

Recommendations

The Ministry of Tourism advices tourists and tour operators to remain alert to guidelines and recommendations provided by the Ministry of Security Coordination (www.seguridad.gob.ec)

Accommodation:

The Ministry of Tourism visited affected areas with staff of the Secretary of Risk Management, Geophysical Institute and Municipal Mejia verifying safe places, contingency and operation plans of establishments located in the sector, in order to analyze their threat and structural vulnerability, as agreed by the Minister of Tourism, Sandra Naranjo and the Minister of Security Coordination, César Navas, after the work meeting held with the tourism industry last August 28.

Flights

Local airports are open and operating normally, including Latacunga Airport. For further information, please visit: http://www.aviacioncivil.gob.ec/

Roads

The country’s roadways are operating normally. To learn more about the current state of roadways, visit: http://www.obraspublicas.gob.ec/mapa-estado-de-carreteras-ecuador/

Railways
Ferrocarriles del Ecuador EP (Ecuadorian Railways Company) has modified some of their routes. For more information visit: http://trenecuador.com/ferrocarrilesdelecuador/

Tourism in Ecuador

The 2015 current patent operators developing their tourist activitities in the Cotopaxi National Park may operate in: Cayambe Coca National Park, Chimborazo Wildlife Production Reserve, Antisan Ecological Reserve, Sangay National Park, Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve and Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve. For more information, visit: http://areasprotegidas.ambiente.gob.ec/

ECU911 smartphone application

Download the application for free. This facilitates emergency care across the country, through the geo-referenced location of the incident, by smartphones. For further information, visit: www.ecu911.gob.ec/aplicacionparacelulares/

To be informed about the volcano situation, you can visit: www.volcancotopaxi.com and, through social networks, #VolcánCotopaxi. In addition, you can visit the official page of the Ministry of Security Coordination: www.seguridad.gob.ec

Approved by: Ministry of Safety Coordination