The Galeras volcano in southern Colombia erupted on Saturday, shooting rock and ash and prompting authorities to order the evacuation of about 8,000 people. No one was killed or injured in the eruption. But officials warned that the volcano could remain volatile.
The Galeras volcano in southern Colombia erupted on Saturday, shooting rock and ash and prompting authorities to order the evacuation of about 8,000 people.
No one was killed or injured in the eruption. But officials warned that the volcano could remain volatile.
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Galeras volcano is located in southern Colombia close to the border with Ecuador. The volcanic complex consists of several small calderas, cinder cones and a stratovolcano. Two caldera forming events have occurred at the volcano. 560,000 years ago, and sometime between 40,000 and 150,000 years ago.
The city of Pasto with 450,000 inhabitants is located on the eastern slope of Galeras. The regional Romeral-Buesaco fault system intersects the volcano along NE-SW axes, and the Pasto fault traverses the edifice on its southeastern flank.
Thousands of revelers celebrating the annual Black and White Carnival in the nearby city of Pasto were startled by Saturday's eruption but the festivities carried on.
A massive eruption of the Galeras volcano killed 10 people in 1993. Six volcanologists and three tourists were killed in the crater of Galeras on 14th January 1993. Twenty people were in the crater when the volcano erupted. Twenty tornillo earthquakes occurred at the volcano in 16 days prior to the eruption. The previous eruption at Galeras on 16th July 1992 was preceded by 9 tornillo earthquakes in 5 days. Despite the pre-eruption earthquakes, the scientists still entered the crater. Some of the people who entered the crater did not wear a helmet or take other safety gear.
For more information: Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60208R20100103
Volcano Live: http://www.volcanolive.com/galeras.html
