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Colombia volcano erupts, thousands flee
AP on Yahoo ^ | 4/18/07 | Fernando Vergara - ap

Posted on 04/18/2007 8:50:41 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

NEIVA, Colombia - Thousands of people were evacuated after a long-dormant volcano erupted late Tuesday and again early Wednesday, provoking avalanches and floods that swept away houses and bridges.

The Nevado del Huila volcano's eruptions were its first on record since Colombia was colonized by the Spanish 500 years ago.

There are about 10,000 people living in the area around the volcano, and about 3,500 had been evacuated, Luz Amanda Pulido, director of the national disaster office, told The Associated Press after flying over the volcano in southwest Colombia.

There were no reports of deaths or injuries.

The eruption sent an avalanche of rocks down the volcano's sides and into the Paez and Simbola rivers, causing them to flood.

"The bridges were swept away, the highway used by the indigenous in the zone was destroyed for various kilometers (miles) and the problem we have now is the lack of a route to deliver goods and medicines to the population," Police Gen. Orlando Paez said.

Experts were not ruling out more eruptions.

"The seismic activity remains light but permanent, and we can't rule out another bigger event in the next hours or days," said Mario Ballesteros, director of the government's Institute for Geology and Mining.

The Nevado del Huila, which is topped with a crown of ice, is Colombia's third-highest peak at 18,484 feet. Located 170 miles southwest of Bogota, it became active again in March with a series of internal rumblings.

In 1985, the town of Armero was wiped from the map and 25,000 people were killed when another volcano, the Nevado del Ruiz, exploded and set off a series of mudslides. It was Colombia's worst natural disaster.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: colombia; erupts; flee; volcano
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In this photo released by Ingeominas shows the Nevado del Huila volcano in the southwestern state of Huila, Colombia, Wednesday, April 18, 2007. The Nevado del Huila volcano erupted twice late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning provoking avalanches and flooding that swept away houses and bridges and prompted the evacuation of thousands. (AP Photo/ Ingeominas)


1 posted on 04/18/2007 8:50:43 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

Does Colombia buy carbon offsets?


2 posted on 04/18/2007 8:52:32 PM PDT by Dawggie
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To: Dawggie
Does Colombia buy carbon offsets?

Nah, their trees on the other side of the mountain suck that carbon right up. Plus, they have a huge credit for having the most beautiful women in the world.

3 posted on 04/18/2007 9:21:43 PM PDT by Migraine (...diversity is great (until it happens to you)...)
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To: NormsRevenge; hchutch; Tailgunner Joe; Clemenza; wardaddy; Commander8; Txcoastman; Caipirabob; ...

About 13 years ago, volcanic activity in this area provoked earthquakes, which in turn unleashes a series of landslides that killed about 200 people.

Colombia ping.


4 posted on 04/18/2007 9:33:03 PM PDT by El Conservador ("The world needs to be reminded that all human ills are not curable by legislation" - Warren Harding)
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To: NormsRevenge
This one’s Cheney’s fault....JJ61
5 posted on 04/18/2007 9:36:02 PM PDT by JerseyJohn61 (Better Late Than Never.......sometimes over lapping is worth the effort....)
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Active Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics,
"Hot Spots" and the "Ring of Fire"

6 posted on 04/18/2007 9:38:00 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... It's time to come down from the hills ... In FReeP We Trust ... Donate or Bust!)
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Major Volcanoes of Colombia

7 posted on 04/18/2007 9:42:15 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... It's time to come down from the hills ... In FReeP We Trust ... Donate or Bust!)
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To: Migraine

I was browsing one of the mail-order sites...Colombian women are absolutely gorgeous. Too bad the country is a drug-infested H-hole.


8 posted on 04/18/2007 9:45:27 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Ben Franklin, we tried but we couldn't keep it.)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
I was browsing one of the mail-order sites...Colombian women are absolutely gorgeous.

So... did you order one?

9 posted on 04/18/2007 9:58:21 PM PDT by Migraine (...diversity is great (until it happens to you)...)
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To: El Conservador
About 13 years ago, volcanic activity in this area provoked earthquakes, which in turn unleashes a series of landslides that killed about 200 people.

22 years ago, volcano-induced mudslides buried several villages and killed 23,000 folks. It's good dirt, though, so they keep on trying to live in that valley of the shadow of death.

10 posted on 04/18/2007 10:07:48 PM PDT by Migraine (...diversity is great (until it happens to you)...)
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To: El Conservador
Thanks for the ping. My In-laws are in Bogota right now. I'll see if they can learn where we can send relief and have them arrange it.
11 posted on 04/19/2007 1:56:01 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
Too bad the country is a drug-infested H-hole

You would be wrong on this assessment.

12 posted on 04/19/2007 4:51:30 AM PDT by Recon Dad (Marine Spec Ops Dad)
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To: NormsRevenge

WOW!


13 posted on 04/19/2007 4:52:40 AM PDT by Suzy Quzy (Hillary '08...Her Phoniness is Genuine!!!)
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