Barú, Panama: joint US/Panama action to monitor Barú volcano 8 March 2008
Posted by volcanism in Barú, Panama, natural hazards, volcano monitoring.add a comment
Barú Volcano in western Panama (also known as Chiriqui) was identified in January as potentially active by a joint United States Geological Survey and University of Panama report. As a result a new seismic monitoring network has been installed at the volcano in a collaborative project involving the USGS, USAID, the University of Panama and the Panamanian Government. More details can be found in the USGS press release.
The last major eruptive event at Barú was c.1550 AD. No further activity is known until May 2006, when an earthquake swarm was recorded. More than 10,000 people live adjacent to the volcano, and any future eruption has the potential to be very dangerous.
Information
Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program - summary information for Barú (1406-01-)
Volcan Baru: Eruptive History and Volcano-Hazards Assessment - USGS/University of Panama report
News
USGS and USAID Announce U.S.-Panamanian Action in Response to a Joint Study of Panama’s Baru Volcano - USGS press release, 4 March 2008
