A mysterious burning crack has been blazing for two weeks in the small village of Columbus, located in the Ecuadorian Andes. Fire and smoke began to emerge from the ground about 15 days ago after controlled weed burning …
The column of fire, steam and gas continues to emanate from a mysterious crack that has opened on a hill near Columbus in Chimborazo, Ecuador.
The area was evacuated because officials still do not know if the gas released by the unexplained underground crack is toxic.
Soil and gas samples were taken by technicians from the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School.
Could this strange geological phenomenon be related to a nearby volcano?
The strange phenomenon is most likely of volcanic origin, since the burning crack and gas emanations are located about 45 km from the Chimborazo volcano.
But officials are trying to rule out volcanic origins. According to geologists, the earth remains hot and ejects gas after just 2 weeks because the soil is full of organic matter, which is a good fuel.
[Recorrido] Técnicos de @IGecuador toman muestras de gases para determinar origen #SGR #Chimborazo.
- Riesgos Ecuador (@Riesgos_Ec) January 27, 2016
En Columbe, #Colta, donde se produce el afloramiento de gases subterráneos. Hoy nueva inspección con @IGecuador.
- Pablo Morillo Robles (@ pmorillo35) January 27, 2016