Colombia has been hit with a natural disaster once again as residents from the slopes of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano were evacuated due to imminent danger from an eruption. This devastating event has left many fearing for their safety and their homes, with memories still fresh from the catastrophic eruption in 1985 that claimed the lives of over 23,000 people. As the world watches and prays for the safety of those affected by this latest tragedy, it highlights the raw power and unpredictability of nature in a country that has long been subject to its tumultuous forces.
Families living on the upper slopes of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia are being evacuated due to an increase in seismic activity, with Colombia’s Geological Service (SGC) warning that an eruption bigger than any in the past 10 years could occur in the coming days or weeks. The SGC has raised the alert level from yellow to orange and stated that there have been minor eruptions at the site for the past 10 years. However, seismic activity began to increase on 24 March, with geologists registering thousands of daily tremors, an unprecedented number since they began monitoring the volcano’s activity. The park has been closed as a preventive measure, whilst around 40 families have been evacuated and schools in the area will switch to online classes.
The SGC has cautioned that it has no scientific way of predicting whether the volcano’s activity will increase further or diminish. The last time the threat level at the Nevado del Ruiz was raised was in 2012, when it was kept at orange for over a month in April and increased to red for two days in June. However, no major eruption occurred.
In 1985, the volcano caused Colombia’s deadliest natural disaster when heat from an eruption caused snow on its peak to melt. The subsequent lahar, or mudslide, buried almost the entire town of Armero, which had 30,000 inhabitants. Some 25,000 residents were killed. The disaster was due to a failure to manage the risk of the volcanic activity combined with insufficient disaster relief efforts.
To mitigate against the risk of future disasters, the Colombian government revised its natural disaster management and prevention policy following the 1985 tragedy. Among other changes, this included the establishment of the National System for Disaster Prevention and Attention (Sistema Nacional para la Prevención y Atención de Desastres), as well as the creation of a specialised unit, the United Centre for Risk Management (Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres). Such measures were designed to build resilience, reduce vulnerability, and enhance risk management for communities at risk.
However, despite these efforts, the government has failed to prevent more recent disasters, including the 2017 Mocoa mudslide, which killed more than 330 people. Following the disaster, the Colombian government committed to investing $40m in infrastructure and prevention measures across Mocoa in order to improve the town’s resilience. The government also committed to improving early warning systems and disaster-prevention measures across the country.
The recent evacuation in Colombia is just one example of the need for continued investment in natural disaster prevention and management strategies. As climate change continues to increase the frequency and severity of natural disasters, governments must develop effective strategies to manage their risks. This includes adequate investment in disaster prevention measures, effective early warning systems and risk communication, and the establishment of resilient communities. By doing so, governments can reduce disaster risk and protect the lives and livelihoods of their citizens.
