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MARTHA LUCÍA GOMEZ
THE COUNTRY | MANIZALES
Around 9:00 pm today, the survivors of Armero will be remembering the tragedy that they suffered on November 13, 1985 due to the eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz Volcano. That was 35 years ago.
The Colombian Geological Service (SGC) held the Science and Community Workshop, Building the Future, which ended yesterday. Óscar Paredes, general director of the SGC, indicated that phenomena such as volcanic ash fall occurred during the eruption, which the wind carried to Venezuela; large volumes of volcanic mud flow, whose lethal trajectory caused the death of some 25 thousand people in Tolima and Caldas – a department in which at least 3 thousand people died.
Years of monitoring
“In this context and in view of the need to have an entity to study volcanic threats, in April 1986, with the assistance of the United States Geological Survey, the Volcanological Observatory of Colombia was created in Manizales, a title that it retained until they created the Pasto -1989- and Popayán -1993- observatories, ”Paredes said.
From there began specialized studies and monitoring and evaluations of the volcano with more advanced technologies, which allowed consolidating what is the SGC and the 24-hour surveillance of 30 active volcanoes in Colombia, as the Minister of Mines and Energy, Diego, pointed out yesterday. Table.
“Advances in technology were made by going in 1985 from 4 manual seismological stations to having some 650 high-tech digital stations and the accompaniment of experts from Mexico, the United States, Japan, Costa Rica, Germany.”
Experts spoke about these advances yesterday at the closing of the workshop, to conclude that the tragedy should be remembered as learning and not for it to repeat itself.
The geologist Ricardo Méndez, a specialized professional from the Manizales Volcanological and Seismological Observatory, indicated that together with the geologist Alberto Nuñez they made an anthology of the activities prior to the eruption of the Volcano, through the collection of evidence from December 1984 to November 1985 They make it clear that there were prior warnings, but that the country was not aware of what a volcanic eruption was. The document will be published in April 2021. Some data are:
* December 22, 1984, an earthquake occurs in Manizales around 5:30 pm as recorded by LA PATRIA.
* February 1985, there is an emission of sulfur in the glacier’s hull, as LA PATRIA also recorded it in a Sunday special, showing photos of the experts’ visit to the bottom of the crater.
* March 1985, experts deliver a report showing that the activity was “normal” for an active volcano, with a slight increase in the steam column and mass removals.
* March 1985, a technical surveillance commission is created and the visit of international experts in volcanic activity is considered. A seminar on volcanic risk is held.
* June 1985, the United States Department of the Interior responded to a letter in which Colombia had requested help since May, saying that there is interest, but that support was not available. The Government seeks collaboration internally, and ISA provided the four seismologists.
* July 1985, a commission was created to install the first portable seismic stations. The activity of the volcano was low. An Italian commission has come requested by the Colombian Government to carry out geothermal evaluation. A surveyor arrives at Nevado del Ruiz to install the stations.
* August 1985, an expert from the Swiss Relief Service came to bring more seismographs and to give instructions for monitoring. Find that the installed networks had some shortcomings.
* September 11, 1985, an ashfall eruption occurs, especially in Manizales. Already a great concern is beginning to be created in the department and the country about the activity of the volcano.
* September 1985, the Tolima Red Cross in a record says that it gave conferences in Murillo, Libano, Armero and Ibagué as the area of influence of the volcano in case it erupted. That month, national and international experts return to collaborate in the preparation of a threat map, which they deliver on October 7; They did it in 20 days.
* October 1985, there are writings that account for people who attended the Armero church to receive talks. Newspapers such as LA PATRIA, El Espectador, El Tiempo and the Diario del Otún announced that Ruiz was beginning to be active and that they should be prepared.
* November 1985, mayors are asked to make an emergency plan and prepare an agenda for November 13.
* November 13, 1985, around 3:00 pm, mudflows were released from the volcano. That day it rained heavily and ash fell, then came the eruption and the avalanche that reached Armero at 9:00 pm
– “Many rescuers came to the town to tell us that an avalanche was coming and that we should be prepared. Few believed ”.
– “On the day of the eruption, stones fell like candle bombs in the water.”
– “On top of my house a family of nine people went. They turned on the light, but they couldn’t get out ”.
– “I looked at the top of the mountain range and that amount of mud came with big trees and roots and everything. It covered me. I felt like it hit the ground and came back and pulled me out. “
– “At 5:30 am the other day a plane was flying overhead, he couldn’t see us because we were all full of mud.”
– “What they found was a desert, Armero had disappeared.”
