The November 13 eruption of Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia produced a powerful explosion. This melted the volcano’s icecap, sending a wall of mud, rock and debris powering down the volcano’s slopes. This ‘avalanche’ killed 23,000 people, many woken from sleep only seconds before it hit. The harrowing imagery from this eruption sent shockwaves around the world, but 30 years on, it becomes easy to forget. Many people live far from the volcano in the lush plains and valleys, but they were inundated during that event.

The STREVA project, in collaboration with Lambda Films and Servicio Geological Colombiano, have produced three short films to convey events according to those affected by the tragedy, how people live with the volcano today, and answering the most important questions the population has about living with volcanic risk. We did not want to use the savage imagery of the time to shock people into remembering, instead we have used the stories told by the survivors today to emphasise the key moments, and the important messages of risk. These films are made for the people at risk from eruptions of Nevado del Ruiz, but the messages will resonate with people living alongside volcanoes elsewhere in Colombia, and around the world.

STREVA wish to sincerely thank everyone who shared their stories with us. These films are dedicated to those who died in the tragic events of 13 November 1985, and to those who came out as survivors.

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