San Cristobal

October 30, 1998 Eruption of San Cristobal

October 30, 1998 · 1,620 deaths

San Cristobal in Nicaragua erupted on October 30, 1998. The eruption killed 1,620 people.

Where it erupted

San Cristobal, Nicaragua, with its other significant eruptions.

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The eruption

Date
October 30, 1998
Volcano
San Cristobal, stratovolcano
Country
Nicaragua
Killed by
Secondary (post-eruption) mudflows
Location
12.702° N, 87.004° W

The toll

Deaths
1,620

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.

Collapse of a ridge near the summit of Casita volcano during heavy rains accompanying Hurricane Mitch produced a debris avalanche that transformed into a lahar that destroyed the towns of El Porvenir and Rolando Rodriguez, killing an estimated 1560-1680 persons. No eruption. (reference #9675)

More

Every eruption in 1998The 1900sSan CristobalEarthquakes near San CristobalThis 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 6605.