In this next installment in the Pounds of Prevention series, we travel to South America, to Colombia, a country with several active volcanoes that USAID and the U.S. Geological Survey help monitor. The article tells what happened on June 30, 2012, when the Nevado del Ruiz Volcano erupted briefly.
Marta Calvache, the head of the volcano hazards program in Colombia, explains the impacts of the 1985 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz Volcano. Photo: Wendy McCausland, VDAP
In contrast to the tragic result of the 1985 eruption that destroyed an entire village, on this day, the people and government took immediate preparedness measures and executed timely evacuations. The article also gives insight into how USAID and interagency partners like the U.S. Geological Survey provide support to countries to reduce their disaster risk and lessen the damage from natural hazards like volcanoes.
