Abstract

An estimate of the economic losses caused by volcanic activity in Costa Rica in the period between 1953 and 2016 in present value is presented. Detailed information of the damage to agriculture, infrastructure is provided, among others, and it is classified according to the year in which the activity occurred and also by the volcano that generated it. During this time there were three national emergencies triggered by volcanic eruptions: Irazú in 1963 - 1965, Arenal in 1968 and Poás in 1990, whose losses were estimated in US$117.3 million, US$5,8 million and between US$1.1 and US$2.3 million, respectively (american dollars in present value of 2016). If taken into consideration other periods of volcanic crisis, the estimated total economic losses in Costa Rica because of volcanism is between US$174.1 and US$193.1 million in present value. This is a minimum amount because many of the economic losses were not historically quantified.

Keywords: Volcanism; Rincón de la Vieja; Arenal; Poás; Irazú; Turrialba; economic losses