Orange alert issued for Colombia's Puracé volcano amid heightened activity

Colombian authorities have elevated the alert level for the Puracé volcano, part of the Los Coconucos volcanic chain, from yellow to orange. This decision by the Colombian Geological Service (SGC) reflects a significant increase in the volcano's activity, raising concerns about a potential eruption.

The SGC detailed that seismic activity has intensified, with earthquakes registering approximately one kilometer below the crater. Additionally, there has been a notable rise in the temperature of ash emissions and the volume of gases released into the atmosphere. Since July 20, monitoring has shown columns of gas and ash reaching up to 3,400 meters above the summit, with temperatures around 140 degrees Celsius.

Further indicators of heightened activity include a surge in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, reaching up to 4,200 tons per day, and an increase in ground-level carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations to 688 parts per million. These parameters, with the exception of slow ground deformation that has been consistent since 2022, represent the highest values recorded since the SGC began monitoring the volcano in 1993.

Jaime Raigosa, coordinator of the SGC's Popayán Volcanological and Seismological Observatory, urged communities near the Puracé, Piocollo, and Curiquinga volcanoes to maintain a safe distance from the higher elevations due to the risk of sudden gas and ash emissions. He also stressed the importance of consulting only official sources for information and disregarding unverified content circulating on social media.

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Se invita a la ciudadanía a mantener la calma y seguir las recomendaciones