Volcano Case Study: Nevado Del Ruiz

Question 1

key info

Answer 1

date: Dec 1985
location: 130km from Bogota, Colombia’s capital
- 4th deadliest eruption (due to being a high snow and ice-clad volcano, so can affect populations kilometres away)

Question 2

background info

Answer 2

1. emergency/disaster management and coordination failed which increased the scale of damage
2. no evacuation ordered
3. locals knew there was a possibility of an eruption, but weren’t given hours of warning

Question 3

primary impacts

Answer 3

3 lahars (travelled at 30km/h)
entombed towns
7500-10,000 homeless
23,000 died
5,000 injured
2 hospitals damaged
50 schools damaged
60% loss of livestock
30% loss of crops/grain

Question 4

secondary impacts

Answer 4

$7.7 billion cost (20% worth loss to GDP)

Question 5

responses

Answer 5

the US Geological Survey and the US Agency for International Development developed the VDAP to monitor volcanoes and have the response team and equipment ready.

Question 6

resolutions

Answer 6

1. There hasn’t been a catastrophic eruption since 1985
2. It’s one of the best-monitored volcanoes in the world