The 1985 volcanic eruption in Armero, Colombia killed about 2/3 of the population of 30,000 people. The disaster could have been avoided by evacuating the city, and it is often used as an example to illustrate the need for effective early warning systems and evacuation protocols. Geologists had warned officials to evacuate the area, but officials claimed that the situation was under control. When the volcano erupted, a lahar of volcanic ash, water, and debris engulfed the city, causing a flood and leaving a vast mudflat dotted with rooftops. The tragedy led to reforms in how the risk of a volcanic eruption is managed around the world.
Armero is a city in Colombia that was wiped off the map after a catastrophic volcanic eruption in 1985. About 2/3 of the population of 30,000 people were killed, by some estimates even higher. The tragedy of what happened in Armero is that many scientists and officials agree that the disaster could have been avoided by evacuating the city. Armero is often used as an example to illustrate the need for effective early warning systems and evacuation protocols in areas where volcanic activity is likely to occur.
The Nevada del Ruiz volcano that caused the Armero disaster was known to have previously erupted, triggering flows of volcanic ash and mud known as lahars. In 1595, the volcano erupted and killed a large number of people, and did the same thing 250 years later. As early as 1984, geologists noted that the volcano had become much more active, triggering steam explosions and earthquakes, and warned officials to evacuate the area.
Predictions of an imminent eruption peaked in early November 1985, but officials continued to claim that the situation was under control and that citizens had nothing to fear. Although some people heeded the obvious signs and fled the area, many more remained steadfast, confident that government officials knew what they were doing. When the volcano erupted on November 13, 1985, the results were catastrophic.
The eruption melted the volcano’s ice cap, triggering a lahar of volcanic ash, water, and debris that was both extremely hot and very violent. The lahar crashed into a dam on the Lagunilla River, causing a flood that engulfed the city of Armero. Huge rocks torn from the river bed rumbled through the city, crushing everything in their path, as the lahar deposited layers of silt, ash and other debris over the city.
When rescuers arrived in the city, they were reportedly horrified by the bodies of dead and injured people and animals at the site. Where Armero had once stood was a vast mudflat dotted with rooftops. Victims were trapped in and under the rubble, including a young girl named Omayra Sanchez, who became a figure of public concern when rescue workers discovered she was trapped in such a way that she could not be pulled out. After three days of public agony in the ruins of Armero, Omayra died and her photograph was broadcast around the world.
This South American version of Pompeii made international headlines for both the extent of the damage and its preventability. Many public officials have faced heavy criticism in the wake of the Armero tragedy, leading to reforms in how the risk of a volcanic eruption is managed around the world, as no nation wanted to host a repeat of Armero.
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