July 23, 1983 Eruption of Colo

An explosive eruption produced pyroclastic flows that destroyed most homes, vegetation, and animal life on 40 km2 Una Una Island and probably injected tephra into the stratosphere. Initial activity prompted evacuation of everyone on the island before the devastating explosions.

Almost all houses and buildings in the eight villages near the volcano were destroyed and nearly half of the residents of the island had been evacuated. All had left by the time of a major explosion on 21 July at 1623 that subjected 80% of the island to temperatures of up to 200°C. Tephra as large as 5-10 cm in diameter fell near a VSI observation vessel and the monitoring team reported flames on parts of the island. A government geologist estimated that all 700,000 coconut trees and all livestock on the island must have been burned, probably by pyroclastic flows. Ash darkened much of the region. People in Falu, 250 km away, were forced to protect themselves from ashfall until late 23 July. A VSI field party arriving on the island 22 July at 0100 felt ten earthquakes during their 15-hour stay and observed a 1.5-km eruption column at 1649.