Nevado del Ruiz

Gas outburst in September 1985

Nevado del Ruiz in July 2007

Nevado del Ruiz is a volcano in the South American country Colombia, the second highest active volcano in the northern hemisphere.

Cause of the volcanism in this region is the descent of the oceanic Nazca plate moving in a northeasterly direction, beneath the continental South American plate, which pushes to the northwest. As a result, there is at the western edge of the continent again and again to earthquakes and active volcanism.

Although the Nevado del Ruiz is situated about 500 km north of the equator, it is covered by its height of almost 25 square kilometers cap of ice and snow. On the basis of rock and soil samples of the oldest eruption of the volcano is 4660 years dated on a date BC. After the conquest of South America by the Spaniards a first outbreak from 1570 has survived.

The main crater of the volcano Arenas is located on the northeast edge of the ice cap. Since the last three eruptions from Arenas Crater went out, each large mudslides from melted snow and ice were as a result of an outbreak in a northeasterly direction from so -called lahars.

Volcanic eruption in 1985

For world -wide attention of the Nevado del Ruiz caused a mudslide on 13 November 1985, two and a half hours after the eruption of the volcano 47 km from the town of Armero and reached more than 5,000 properties and over 22,000 people buried under itself.

Special attention was given the 12 -year-old Omayra Sánchez, who was stuck for three days in a mud and rubble pit, whose agony was followed by the world media.

Mudslides of its kind at this volcano are known from the years 1595 and 1845, the city of Armero was built on the debris of this previous lahars.

Recent activity

Since April 2012, the Nevado del Ruiz again shows increased activity. After a series of earthquakes, the volcano end of May 2012 began again to eject ash. 1,500 people were evacuated. End of June 2012 Nevado del Ruiz broke out and spit a 8 km high ash cloud in the sky. 2000 people were evacuated.