November 13, 1985 Eruption of Nevado del Ruiz
Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia erupted on November 13, 1985 with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. The eruption killed 23,080 people.
Where it erupted
Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia, with its other significant eruptions.
The eruption
- Date
- November 13, 1985
- Volcano
- Nevado del Ruiz, stratovolcano
- Country
- Colombia
- Volcanic Explosivity Index
- 3, moderate to large (eruption column 3 to 15 km)
- Killed by
- Mudflows and lahars
- Location
- 4.892° N, 75.324° W
The toll
- Deaths
- 23,080
- Injuries
- 10,000
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.
Death tolls uncertain with most estimates in the range 23-26,000. This figure from Perison et al., quoting office of Colombian President. Katsui et al. indicate 24,270 including 21,000 of the 29,000 inhabitants of Armero. Naranjo et al. suggest approximately 1,000 died in Chinchina. About 10,000 injured, 5,200 requiring medical attention.
Other significant eruptions of Nevado del Ruiz
More
Every eruption in 1985The 1900sNevado del RuizEarthquakes near Nevado del RuizThis 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 2026-10-01. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 3835.