The Wolf volcano, the highest mountain of the Galapagos Islands, he has erupted, throwing clouds of ash and lava over the Pacific Ocean, according to the Geophysical Institute of Ecuador.
Shortly before midnight local time Wednesday, the volcano sent an ashen lava cloud 3,793 meters into the sky, the Ecuadorian institute said. Government images showed a piercing beam of light emerging from the mountain and rising into the sky.
The institute said it had observed “thermal anomalies and gas and ash clouds” that constitute the eruption. The Galapagos National Park published images of the eruption from the first moments.
[BOLETÍN] Wolf volcano in Galapagos erupts.
Read more ↘️ https://t.co/82uViWPeyC pic.twitter.com/a1aLcIHez3– Galapagos Park (@parquegalapagos)
January 7, 2022
What risk does the eruption of the Wolf Volcano present?
Ecuadorian officials said that there was no immediate danger to residential areas on the other side of Isabela Island, the largest in the Galapagos.
Eight people were evacuated from the area as a precaution; all were national park rangers and scientists engaged in field work focused on Pink iguanas that resided on the slopes of the volcano.
Last August, only 211 pink iguanas remained on Isabela Island. The condition of pink iguanas and others unique wild animals was not immediately known. Yellow iguanas and giant Galapagos tortoises also live in the area, as this is a place of large endemic species.
Where are the Galapagos Islands?
Galapagos is a place of large endemic species
The Galapagos Islands they are located about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) off the coast of Ecuador. A UNESCO World Heritage site, many of the animals and plant species in Galapagos can only be found there.
Wolf Volcano is one of several active volcanoes in Galapagos. It is 1,701 meters high when it is not in a state of active eruption. The volcano last erupted in 2015 after 33 years of inactivity.
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