In an official statement issued today, the Colombian Geological Service (SGC) announced that the Nevado del Ruiz volcano has gone from orange to yellow alert. This decision is based on the significant decrease in volcanic activity in recent weeks, after almost two months of tension over a possible eruption.
During the last 89 days, the SGC has closely monitored the activity of the volcano, taking into account the records of the last 12 years. During the last two weeks, a progressive decrease in volcanic behavior has been observed, which has led to this reassessment of the alert.
The SGC report highlights a gradual decrease in seismicity related to the fracturing of the rock within the volcanic structure. Although the volcano still shows a variable and scattered behavior around the crater, no depth pattern has been recorded in the last few hours, unlike what was reported in previous weeks.
Also, a decrease in the energy levels of tremors related to rock fracturing has been observed, as well as a reduction in fluid movement and degassing processes. In addition, stability has been evidenced in the deformation of the volcano’s surface and a considerable reduction in the emission of ash.
However, on the afternoon of June 27, volcanic ash fell from the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in municipalities such as Chinchiná, Santa Rosa de Cabal and Dosquebradas, indicating that the behavior of the volcano is still unstable.
For this reason, the SGC has warned that: “It is still possible that some phenomena considered at this level of activity may be recorded”, such as seismic activity, ash emissions, lahars, morphological changes, noise or smells of volcanic gases, among others. .
It is important to note that, despite the change in the volcanic alert, people living near the volcano’s area of influence are not out of danger, since the volcano can quickly destabilize and return to its orange alert status. Therefore, it is recommended to stay tuned for updates from the authorities and follow the established security measures.