Nevado del Ruiz eruption 1985

Nevado Del Ruiz volcano eruption

Digital Millenium. (2021, September 19). The 5 Worst Volcanic Eruptions in History. Grupo Milenio. Retrieved from https://www.milenio.com/ciencia-y-salud/las-5-peores-erupciones-volcanicas-de-la-historia 

Intro:

The Nevado del Ruiz eruption occurred on November 13, 1985. The volcano is a stratovolcano with a snowy summit located in Columbia (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, 2009). It has an elevation of 17,680 ft and is situated along the Andean Volcanic Belt, which was formed by the Nazca oceanic plate being subducted under the South American continental plate (How Volcanoes Work). The eruption was a three on the Volcanic Explosivity Index and resulted in around 25,000 fatalities, making it the second-deadliest volcano in the 20th century (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, 2009; Smithsonian Institution).

The lahar sweeping through the town of Armero

Osorio, J. P., & Murcia, H. (2020, December 7). The Second Deadliest Volcanic Eruption of the 20th Century. RTE. Retrieved from https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2020/1202/1181923-armero-volcanic-eruption-1985/ 

Summary:

Around 3 in the afternoon on November 13, Nevado del Ruiz released steam, causing some alarm. Ash fell in the nearby town of Armero; however, residents were told they were fine. At 7 p.m., authorities went ahead and called for an evacuation, but then it was canceled when the ash stopped falling shortly after. A storm developed as residents retired for the night. At 9 p.m., the volcano erupted with molten rock lasting 20-30 minutes (How Volcanoes Work; Smithsonian Institution). The hot lava caused the snow to melt and form lahars (mudflow made up of water and pyroclastic material). The fast-moving lahars flowed into nearby rivers and affected multiple towns. One lahar traveled 60 miles; meanwhile, reaching the town of Armero, where residents were told they were safe (A&E, 2010). Armero was destroyed, and of the 29,000 residents, 70% were killed (Augliere, 2016). 

Because of the lack of information and warning, thousands of people were killed. This could have been prevented. The eruption was not unexpected, but was actually showing signs of an explosion that had officials concerned. A year prior to the eruption, the volcano started having frequent activity and earthquakes. Locals did not have the proper equipment to monitor volcanic activity. They asked for help, but because the country had bigger problems to deal with, the volcano was put on the back burner. The volcano erupted on September 11, just two months prior to the major eruption. This caused much alarm, and officials began working on a hazard risk assessment; however, they did not finish before the November 13 eruption (Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, 2009). The people of Armero had two hours between the time of the eruption and the lahar reaching them. There was plenty of time to evacuate if they were given the information. Since the storm came in, people were not able to see the eruption, and by the time they did, there was not enough time to get the warning out. Even if people were trying to warn them, residents could not be reached because the power was out (Augliere, 2016). 

The risk assessment of the area

30 Years on: Colombia's Armero Tragedy Kills 25,000. teleSUR English. (2015, November 13). Retrieved from https://www.telesurenglish.net/multimedia/30-Years-on-Colombias-Armero-Tragedy-Kills-25000-20151113-0008.html 

Discussion:

The volcano itself was not very destructive, but the effects that it caused are what led to many fatalities. The government was not as concerned or involved in the volcanic and seismic activity that Nevado del Ruiz was producing. If they had started working on a plan when the activity started a year prior, things may have looked differently. People would know if they lived in a hazard zone and if they needed to have evacuated. Their lack of instruments and scientists was also a problem. Locals tried to get government help and attention, but were given very little. A warning system in place would have also helped the situation and allowed for evacuation. The disaster had an estimated cost of around $1 billion (How Volcanoes Work). As a result of the 1985 eruption, the United States Geological Survey and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance developed the international Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP) to monitor volcanoes across the globe and help prevent such a disaster from happening again (Augliere, 2016). The Nevado del Ruiz is still an active volcano, and with better technology and a response team, if it were to erupt again the result would likely have a better outcome.

Video:

https://youtu.be/hoPdnexdLmo 

The video shows some of the destruction caused by the eruption, mainly focusing on the lahar and victims.

Sources:

A&E Television Networks. (2010, February 9). The Eruption of Nevado del Ruiz. History.com. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-eruption-of-nevado-del-ruiz  

Augliere, B. (2016, October 20). Benchmarks: November 13, 1985: Nevado del Ruiz Eruption Triggers Deadly Lahars. Earth: The Science Behind the Headlines. Retrieved from https://www.earthmagazine.org/article/benchmarks-november-13-1985-nevado-del-ruiz-eruption-triggers-deadly-lahars 

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. (2009, October 29). Volcano Watch - Lessons Learned From the Armero, Colombia Tragedy. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved from https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/hvo/news/volcano-watch-lessons-learned-armero-colombia-tragedy 

How Volcanoes Work - Nevado Del Ruiz (1985). SDSU. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/how_volcanoes_work/Nevado.html 

Smithsonian Institution. (n.d.). Global Volcanism Program: Nevado Del Ruiz. Smithsonian Institution | Global Volcanism Program. Retrieved from https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=351020