1845 Nevado del Ruiz | |
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| Total costs | N/A |
| Deaths | 1000 |
The Nevado del Ruiz (Spanish pronunciation: [neβaðo ðel ˈrwis]), also known as La Mesa de Herveo (English: Mesa of Herveo, the name of the nearby town) is a volcano on the border of the departments of Caldas and Tolima in Colombia, about 129 kilometers (80 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, since 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. The volcano usually generates Vulcanian to Plinian eruptions, which produce swift-moving currents of hot gas and rock called pyroclastic flows. These eruptions often cause massive lahars (mud and debris flows), which pose a threat to human life and the environment. The impact of such an eruption is increased as the hot gas and lava melt the mountain's snowcap, adding large quantities of water to the flow. On November 13, 1985, a small eruption produced an enormous lahar that buried and destroyed the town of Armero in Tolima, causing an estimated 25,000 deaths. This event later became known as the Armero tragedy—the deadliest lahar in recorded history. Similar but less deadly incidents occurred in 1595 and 1845, consisting of a small explosive eruption followed by a large lahar. The volcano is part of Los Nevados National Natural Park, which also contains several other volcanoes. The summit of Nevado del Ruiz is covered by large glaciers. The volcano continues to pose a threat to the nearby towns and villages, and it is estimated that up to 500,000 people could be at risk from lahars from future eruptions. Today, the Nevado del Ruiz volcano is constantly monitored by the Volcanic and Seismic Observatory of Manizales.
Source: Wikipedia 1949 Eastern Guatemalan Floods | |
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| Total costs | N/A |
| Deaths | 40000 |
The 1949 Eastern Guatemalan floods were a series of violent and devastating floods, following a particularly destructive Atlantic Ocean Hurricane season. Death toll estimates range from 1000 to 40,000, placing the floods as some of the deadliest in recorded history. Apart from the direct deadly consequences of the floods, the disaster had a huge impact in many other spheres of life in Guatemala. It is estimated that the financial consequences of the floods ranged from $15,000,000 to $40,000,000.Landslides and road blockages affected communications within the country, and also impacted distribution of foods and other resources. As news of the floodings in Guatemala broke international headlines, Foreign governments pledged aid to the recovery of the country accordingly. The neighbouring countries of The United States and Cuba rushed to provide immediate aid by plane to victims of the disaster.
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