The National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC) has announced that the Poas Volcano National Park reopened today. The park was closed from April 2 to April 7, 2024, due to increased gases and ash emissions from the crater. This closure allowed personnel to recover from respiratory ailments caused by inhaling these emissions and allowed the Park Administration to finalize operational details to improve employee occupational health.
Authorities from the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) have confirmed that they will maintain established protocols for tourist visits, limiting capacity to 56 people per time slot and restricting the maximum stay in the crater sector to 20 minutes.
“Visitors must wear helmets at the viewpoint for added protection and access to the Botos Lagoon sector remains closed for safety reasons, concentrating visitors in fewer areas and facilitating evacuation if necessary,” SINAC informed.
This measure will continue until volcanic activity returns to normal, following discussion and recommendation by the National Emergency Commission (CNE).
“We understand the inconvenience caused by the closure of Poás Volcano National Park to national and foreign tourists. However, the safety of tourists and staff is our priority, necessitating the temporary closure and implementation of safety procedures. Visitors are urged to strictly adhere to prevention protocols and visit only authorized areas,” said Franz Tattenbach Minister of Environment and Energy.
Given the increased volcanic activity and security measures in place for a safe visit to the National Park, SINAC-MINAE advises the public to use official entrances to avoid risky situations.
“The national park has signage indicating that visitors are in a high-risk zone and should take necessary precautions. Park staff are trained to respond in the event of volcanic activity or eruptions, and temporary shelters are available for visitor safety. The public is reminded to follow park rangers’ instructions and stick to authorized trails,” SINAC officials mentioned. Those tourists whose visit to the National Park was interrupted last Tuesday may reschedule their visit or request a refund by sending an e-mail to poas.info@sinac.go.
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Ileana Fernandez
