Dona Juana

August 14, 1936 Eruption of Dona Juana

August 14, 1936 · 18 deaths

Dona Juana in Colombia erupted on August 14, 1936. The eruption killed 18 people.

Where it erupted

Dona Juana, Colombia, with its other significant eruptions.

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The eruption

Date
August 14, 1936
Volcano
Dona Juana, stratovolcano
Country
Colombia
Killed by
Avalanche (debris and landslides); Floods (and glacial outburst floods)
Location
1.500° N, 76.936° W

The toll

Deaths
18

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

A landslide occurred on August 14, 1936 on the 5 kilometer side of the Dona Juana volcano, located a short distance northeast of Pasto. The earth covered several lakes and blocked the channel of one of the sources of the Juanambu. The amount of mud and dirt was so great that the river was stopped for several hours. The dirty waters rose 40 meters above a beautiful suspension bridge; its cables broke and its towers gave way to the impetus of the uncontainable waters, among which some 18 were drowned. (reference #1118)

Note: No eruption

Other significant eruptions of Dona Juana

More

Every eruption in 1936The 1900sDona JuanaEarthquakes near Dona JuanaThis day in weather history

Sources

Volcanoes and significant eruptions from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 7526.