BJ Deming

Nevado del Ruiz: June 14, 1718 UTC

  • Status: Orange, but —

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    The take-away here: Ruiz might wind up steadily, if that’s on its agenda, or it might just give them a few minutes’ notice before the “big one.”

  • Interactive official hazard map (autotranslated), via Relief Web; En español
  • USAID April 4th map (autotranslated) posted on May 18 at Relief Web.
  • Links to webcams, public data, and other information.
  • Update archive.

Update, June 14, 10:18 a.m., Pacific: Found another gorgeous image of Ruiz, from the SGC — it is included in a recent article (autotranslated) in El Tiempo:

Ruiz on the webcam, early on June 4th.

The summit of Ruiz is hidden by clouds right now, but it puffed enough overnight to get two ash advisories, one of which is still in effect.

I haven’t seen any recent notices on SO2 emissions from Nevado del Ruiz on TROPOMI SO2’s Twitter feed, though.

Here is today’s SGC bulletin, via Google Translate, with emphasis in the original:

Manizales, June 14, 2023 11:35 a.m.

From the monitoring of the activity of the NEVADO DEL RUIZ VOLCANO, the MINISTRY OF MINES AND ENERGY through the COLOMBIAN GEOLOGICAL SERVICE (SGC) informs that:

From 9:00 a.m. from yesterday (June 13) until the time of publication of this bulletin, the activity of this volcano, in general terms, continues to show low levels with minor variations.

In relation to June 13, the seismicity associated with the movement of fluids inside the volcanic conduits showed similar levels in the number of earthquakes and a slight increase in the seismic energy. Some of the seismic signals were associated with pulsatile emissions of ash confirmed through the web cameras used for volcanic monitoring.

For its part, the seismicity related to rock fracturing inside the volcanic structure decreased in the number of earthquakes and in seismic energy. The earthquakes were low energy and were located in the northeastern sector of the volcano, at distances between 1 and 3 km from the crater, and with depths that varied between 1 and 5 km with respect to the top of the volcano.

Regarding the surface activity, the maximum height observed of the column of gases, steam and/or ash emission was 300 m measured from the top of the volcano and the preferential direction of dispersion remained to the northwest of the volcanic structure. Also, variations in sulfur dioxide outgassing and water vapor outflow from the crater to the atmosphere continued. Due to the atmospheric conditions in the area, there were no reports of thermal anomalies at the bottom of the crater, but this does not mean that they are not still present there.

From the SGC we reiterate that the activity of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano continues to be very unstable. Although a few weeks have passed in which the seismic activity, in general, has decreased with compared to previous weeks, it is important to remember that this does not imply that the volcano has returned to their normal levels of activity, so it is recommended not to get used to these oscillatory changes of activity and think that it is a normal behavior of the volcano.

Satellite detection of significant thermal anomalies at the bottom of the crater indicates the presence of very hot material near the surface. It is very important to note that the recurrence of ash output, sometimes pulsatile and sometimes more continuous, the persistence of a slight deformation of the terrain, as well as variations in the output of sulfur dioxide, indicate that the volcano could still make a major eruption in days or weeks. As we have mentioned, on previous occasions, after presenting important changes in its activity, the Nevado del Ruiz volcano has shown a decrease in its activity before an important eruption. That is, first it registers a strong increase in its activity, then a considerable decrease and, subsequently, makes a major eruption.

Therefore, we reiterate that the activity of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano continues at ORANGE LEVEL, which indicates that there is a probability that in days or weeks there will be a larger eruption than the volcano has done in the last 10 years. To change levels and return to Yellow level requires a prudential time where trends and patterns can be observed that allow inferring the possible decrease in activity, aspects that the current activity of the volcano still does not show, reason for which warns that the level of activity of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano will remain at LEVEL ORANGE. During this time, in the event of an acceleration of the processes that suggest an imminent eruption or the eruption itself, the level of activity will be changed to Red.

We recommend that the community remain calm, follow all the instructions of the Unit National for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) and local authorities, and be attentive to the information provided by the Colombian Geological Service on the evolution of the state of the volcano.

The COLOMBIAN GEOLOGICAL SERVICE will continue to monitor the evolution of the volcanic phenomenon and will inform in a timely manner about the changes that may occur.

For more information visit the following link:
https://www2.sgc.gov.co/Noticias/boletinesDocumentos/Forms/AllItems.aspx

I really, really hope it doesn’t erupt, but it will still have been very costly for Colombia and people locally.

Volcanoes don’t have to go BOOM! to mess you up.

Featured image: Ric Photography/Shutterstock

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