This deadly volcano has experts concerned over possibility of another eruption

The deadly Nevado del Ruiz volcano is often considered to be the most dangerous in the Western Hemisphere. Located west of the Colombian capital, Bogotá, at an elevation of 17,457 feet above sea level, it gave experts serious reasons for concern over the last few weeks.

The volcano has been spewing ash plumes and steamindicating that it could actually erupt any moment.

The Nevado del Ruiz is already responsible for more than 20,000 deaths in November 13, 1985, also known as the Armero tragedy. It was the second-deadliest volcanic eruption of the 20th century after the 1908 Mount Pelée disaster in Martinique that took the lives of 30,000 people.

Meanwhile, this underwater volcano in Europe could put a mega popular holiday destination at risk and this super-volcano in the US might cause deadly steam explosions and landslide-triggering earthquakes.

The deadly volcano makes experts worried

The Colombian Geological Service has recently issued a statement expressing their concern about one of the deadliest volcanoes in the world.

As of May 1, the volcano has been especially active and the organisation urged officials to evacuate those living around it. The volcano has been spewing ash plumes and steamindicating that it could actually erupt any moment.

Brittany Brand, Director for the Boise State Hazard and Climate Resilience Institute at Boise State University, said that as Nevado del Ruiz is one of the highest volcanoes in the region, it's covered in ice and snow and it has a pretty thick glacier ice cap.

Brand added:

It also has very steep flanks and drainages that open up into communities downstream. And so the biggest concern for this volcano is mudflows, or lahars, which can occur with just a minor eruption. A small eruption of ash or lava can melt enough of that snowcap to produce devastating lahars.

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How certain is it that the eruption will occur?

The Nevado del Ruiz volcano claimed more than 20,000 lives in the Armero tragedy in November 1985.

It was the second-deadliest volcanic eruption of the 20th century after the 1908 Mount Pelée disaster in Martinique that killed 30,000 people.

For this reason, there is an added concern about the volcano and its seismic activity. Even a relatively small eruption could be enough to melt the glacier with potentially devastating consequences.

The area around the volcano is densely populated by farmers and their families who completely disregard scientists’ warnings and stay there as their livelihood depends on fertile land.

While it is not certain that an eruption will occur, Nevado del Ruiz is displaying some telltale signs.

Brand said:

We could see a dramatic increase in the earthquakes and swelling of the volcano and the gases coming out, which may indicate a significant eruption, or it might just die off. It's just really difficult to know what's going to happen but at this point, we do know that there are signs of unrest.

Brand said similar activity was observed in 1984 but it was almost a year before there was a significant eruption.

If Nevado del Ruiz does erupt, the situation will be vastly different from 1985. This is because now there are much better warning systems in place so that scientists can inform residents of impending danger.

Read more:

⋙ Underwater volcano could put this popular holiday destination at risk

⋙ Super-volcano in the US could cause deadly steam explosions and landslide-triggering earthquakes

Sources used:

- Newsweek: 'The Deadly Volcano Making Experts Worried'