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Nevado del Ruiz

Ruiz, Nevado del

Stratovolcano · Colombia · 5279m

Nevado del Ruiz is a broad glacier-covered volcano that covers more than 200 km2. The modern cone consists of a cluster of lava domes constructed within the summit caldera of an older edifice. The ash-mantled summit is seen here from the ESE on 18 December 1985, a little more than a month after the catastrophic eruption of 13 November. The devastating 1985 lahars swept down four major river drainages that day and caused around 24,000 fatalities.
Nevado del Ruiz is a broad glacier-covered volcano that covers more than 200 km2. The modern cone consists of a cluster of lava domes constructed within the summit caldera of an older edifice. The ash-mantled summit is seen here from the ESE on 18 December 1985, a little more than a month after the catastrophic eruption of 13 November. The devastating 1985 lahars swept down four major river drainages that day and caused around 24,000 fatalities. · Photo: Photo by Norm Banks, 1985 (U.S. Geological Survey). · Wikimedia Commons
Type
Stratovolcano
Country
Colombia
Region
South America Volcanic Regions / Northern Andean Volcanic Arc
Elevation
5279m
Coordinates
4.892, -75.324
Last eruption
2026
Tectonic setting
Subduction zone / Continental crust (> 25 km)
Landform
Composite
Major rock type
Andesite / Basaltic Andesite
Geological summary

Nevado del Ruiz is a broad, glacier-covered volcano in central Colombia that covers more than 200 km2. Three major edifices, composed of andesitic and dacitic lavas and andesitic pyroclastics, have been constructed since the beginning of the Pleistocene. The modern cone consists of a broad cluster of lava domes built within the caldera of an older edifice. The 1-km-wide, 240-m-deep Arenas crater occupies the summit. The prominent La Olleta pyroclastic cone located on the SW flank may also have been active in historical time. Steep headwalls of massive landslides cut the flanks. Melting of its summit icecap during historical eruptions, which date back to the 16th century, has resulted in devastating lahars, including one in 1985 that was South America's deadliest eruption.

From Wikipedia

Nevado del Ruiz, also known as La Mesa de Herveo is a volcano on the border of the departments of Caldas and Tolima in Colombia, being the highest point of both. It is located about 130 km (81 mi) west of the capital city Bogotá. It is a stratovolcano composed of many layers of lava alternating with hardened volcanic ash and other pyroclastic rocks. Volcanic activity at Nevado del Ruiz began about two million years ago, during the Early Pleistocene or Late Pliocene, with three major eruptive periods. The current volcanic cone formed during the present eruptive period, which began 150,000 years ago.

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Eruption history

Summary (VEI over time)
Click a bar to see individual eruptions
6660 BCE~6371 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?1456 BCE~1166 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI ?877 BCE~588 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 4299 BCE~10 BCE · 1 eruptions · max VEI 4279~568 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 3568~857 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 31147~1436 · 1 eruptions · max VEI 41436~1725 · 4 eruptions · max VEI 41725~2014 · 13 eruptions · max VEI 36660 BCE4636 BCE2323 BCE299 BCE1725

Detailed timeline

  1. 2014VEI 2Observed
    2014-11-18 – 2026-03-16
    Arenas crater
  2. 2012VEI 3Observed
    2012-02-22 – 2013-07-12
    Arenas Crater
  3. 1994VEI ?Geological estimate
    1994-04-23 – 1994-04-23
  4. 1985VEI 3Observed
    1985-09-11 – 1991-07-13
    Arenas Crater
  5. 1984VEI 1Observed
    1984-12-22 – 1985-03-19
    Arenas Crater
  6. 1916VEI 2Observed
    1916 – Ongoing
  7. 1845VEI 3Observed
    1845-02-19 – Ongoing
    Arenas and La Olleta(?) craters
  8. 1833VEI 2Geological estimate
    1833 – Ongoing
  9. 1831VEI 2Observed
    1831 – Ongoing
  10. 1829VEI 2Observed
    1829-06-18 – Ongoing
  11. 1828VEI 2Observed
    1828-06 – Ongoing
  12. 1826VEI 2Geological estimate
    1826 – Ongoing
  13. 1805VEI 2Observed
    1805-03-14 – Ongoing
  14. 1623VEI 1Observed
    1623 – Ongoing
    Near Arenas Crater
  15. 1595VEI 4Observed
    1595-03-09 – Ongoing
    Arenas Crater
  16. 1570VEI ?Observed
    1570 – Ongoing
    Arenas Crater?
  17. 1541VEI ?Geological estimate
    1541 – Ongoing
  18. 1350VEI 4Geological estimate
    1350 – Ongoing
    Arenas Crater
  19. 675 (±50 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    675 – Ongoing
    Arenas Crater
  20. 350 (±300 yrs)VEI 3Geological estimate
    350 – Ongoing
    West flank
  21. 200 BCE (±100 yrs)VEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 200 – Ongoing
    Arenas Crater
  22. 850 BCEVEI 4Geological estimate
    BCE 850 – Ongoing
    Arenas Crater
  23. 1245 BCE (±150 yrs)VEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 1245 – Ongoing
    ENE flank ? (Alto la Piramide ?)
  24. 6660 BCEVEI ?Geological estimate
    BCE 6660 – Ongoing
    Arenas Crater

External links

⚠ For reference only. Not for emergency response.