Gunsmiths before and after the avalanche: satellite images – science – life

Saturday marked the thirty-sixth anniversary of that fateful November 13, 1985, as Avalanche Made of stone and mud from the activity of the completely destroyed Nevado del Ruiz volcano Armero, in Tolima, leaving 25,000 people buried.

A tragedy also recalled by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA’s Satellite Earth Observation Program, Landsat, who shared the images captured by the Landsat 5 satellite through their social networks, from space Record the size of the avalanche.

(You may be interested: NASA reveals the amazing photos taken by Landsat 9)

“Landsat 5 experienced the effects of the #OTD eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in 1985. Volcanic mud currents swept through Armero, Colorado, killing 20,000 residents. To ensure such tragedies never happen again,
USGS created the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program,” was the message the program shared on its Twitter account along with two photos: one in which Armero can be seen before the avalanche, taken on March 22, 1985, and another four days after the November 17 tragedy.

(Also: 36 years ago, an avalanche buried Armero and killed 25,000 people)

While on his Landsat Instagram, he also remembers that the aforementioned eruption is recorded as the second volcanic disaster The deadliest of the 20th century, because people weren’t sure what to do.

“At the time, city, county, and federal officials were meeting with scientists to create eruption hazard maps and make evacuation plans. But before lines of communication and evacuation plans could be effectively established, Nevado del Ruiz blew up,” the publication says. .

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(Also: Armero: The Story of Colombia’s Worst Natural Disaster)

Tragically, they add, the lahar – as the flow of sediment and water moving from the slopes of the volcanoes is known – began arriving in Armero about two hours after the eruption, which would have allowed enough time for people to reach higher ground, had they been notified more quickly and had known what to do. They have to do it.

Currently, the USGS uses various tools for monitoring volcanoes Active and works closely with emergency officials, land managers and the public to improve awareness of volcanic hazards and with the Volcanic Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP) for over 30 years they have assisted in more than 70 major volcanic crises in 12 different countries.

This tragedy also marked the beginning of the development of volcanology in Colombia and the monitoring system with which the Colombian Geological Service constantly monitors the activity of the volcanoes identified in Colombian geography.

science writing

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Aileen Morales

"Beer nerd. Food fanatic. Alcohol scholar. Tv practitioner. Writer. Troublemaker. Falls down a lot."

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