Volcano Colima, Mexico

Colima-volcano is situated about 450 km W of Mexico City. It is not one, but two
different volcanoes, the oldest one called Nevado de Colima at 4.200m asl, and the youngest
Volcan de Fuego or Volcan de Colima, which is 200 m lower, and is situated 5 km S of Nevado.
Approx. 300.000 people live within a 40 km radius from the volcano.
Colima is considered the most dangerous and active volcano in Mexico.
The last big eruption was in 1994, when several 'bombs' caused big fires in the neighborhood.

Tuesday, May 31st, 2005



Mexico's 12,540-foot Colima volcano spewed a column of rock, ash and lava almost three miles
into the sky in its largest eruption in at least 20 years. The government was considering evacuating
tiny communities around the volcano in the western state of Colima. A shower of ash closed the
airport in the city of Colima 19 miles away, and lava crept down the side of the mountain,
burning grass.

At 3:26 in the morning (local time) of May 30th, one registered the greatest explosion caught by
our volcanic monitory system in the last 20 years. Satellite datas show that the ash cloud reached a
height of 8,500m and was taken by winds to the Southeastern and in a 5,400 lower level it was
taken to the Northeast. 1:48 hours after the explosion the Southeastern portion extended 102 km
from the volcano and the Northeast portion extended 81,5 km. The pyroclastic flows headed in
a direction westward.

Tuesday, May 24th, 2005




From a video at www.ucol.mx - 5 minutes of the eruption
At 19:10 local time yesterday the largest explosion since 1999 was registered, with a height of the
column that exceeded 3.000 m above the summit. Pyroclastic flows weresendt down the San
Antonio and Monte Grande ravines, at distances considered preliminarily between 4 and 5 km.

Friday, March 11th, 2005

In last the 24 hours yesterday, 2 explosions have been registered. At 08:10 a.m. a greater explosion
was registered, and that was the largest there has been this year. The event produced piroclásticos
flows by South, the West and North flanks of the volcano, and they reached about 3 kilometers.
The ash cloud I travel quickly to the Northeast and its considered height was around 2000 ms
above the crater. Ash fall has been reported in City Guzmán, Jalisco and populations nearby.
It is possible to mention that the amount of ash emitted until the moment does not put risk to the
health of the population. One does not discard that the activity evolves towards an explosive scene
like the 1999 type or greate,r that can cause a landslide.

Monday, November 8th, 2004
As of the 4th of November, the Universidad de Colima reported that during 27 October to
1 November, block-lava flows continued to travel down Colima's N, W, NW, and S flanks as they
have since 30 September. Several explosions occurred daily. By 1 November, the block-lava flows
on the N flank reached about 1,800 m long and about 200 m wide, and on the WNW flank
block-lava reached about 600 m long and 200 m wide at its widest point. During the report period,
block-and-ash flows spilling from the fronts of the advancing block-lava flows on the W flank
reached ~2 km from the summit.

Thursday, October 14th, 2004

Pictures from Wednesday night. Left: Notice lava and red-hot material coming down the slopes
to the right. Compare to the picture to the right, where also a new explosion is coming
up from the crater. In the middle: The ash-column following such an explosion.

Wednesday, October 13th, 2004

During last the 24 hours have been registered approximately 112 landslides on the North flanks,
the Northwest, the West and the south because the lava emission in blocks continues.

Following report was issued at noon, yesterday, local time.
The lavafront on the North flank is at least 1200 m of length and 150 ms wide approximately.
The lavafront on the NW flank is at least of 400 ms length and 200 m wide.
The landslides, which all come from the western lavafront, stay in the rank of up to 2 km from the top.
During the last 24 hours there have been registered 23 small explosions.
The ash presence in the atmosphere is due to the fragmentation of the lava blocks that descend
on the flanks.

PHOTOGRAPS TAKEN FROM AN OVERFLIGHT ON THE 12TH OF OCTOBER, 2004 SOUTH FLANK
(Universidad de Colima, Observatorio Vulcanológico)

Thursday, October 7th, 2004

During 24 hours on Tuesday and Wednesday 294 landslides came down by all flanks, because the
lava emission partly in blocks, continues. The flow on the South side has increased.
The lava front on the North flank, reaches approximately 600m of length and is 150 ms wide.
The lava front on the WNW flank has reached 250 ms approximately.
During the same periode 32 small explosions with peak altitudes of 400 m.s have been registered,
and great activity of degasificación is reported.
The landslides have come as far as up to 2 km from the top.
translated from the official news-release in spanish

Tuesday, October 5th, 2004

Colima is still busy letting off the pressure by emitting vapour and lava.
Pictures taken are dated in GMT. Norway/CET + 2 hours.

The lava emission in blocks continues. During last the 24 hours approximately 234 landslides down
the flanks have been registered, to the Northwest, the West and the South.
The lava front on the North flank, reaches approximately 350m of length and is 150 ms wide.
The lava front on the WNW flank reaches 100 ms length. A great activity of degasificación has
been reported.
translated from the official news-release in spanish

Monday, October 4th, 2004

As of the 4th of October, the Universidad de Colima reported that Colima volcano erupted on
Friday, October 1st. A wide stream of lava had been clearly visible at night flowing down the volcano.
A column of ash was ejected several miles into the air. Explosions have continued since activity
started with small blasts on Wednesday. The activity has been caused by pressure building under a
dome that covers Colima's crater. Smoke and gas are now emitting from a crack in the dome.
It is hoped the lava flows continue, relieving pressure inside the volcano.

Friday, October 1st, 2004 - 18:00 GMT

The registered seismic activity until noon local time are related to the landslides happening on the
flanks on the volcano, numbering in the last 24 hours to a total of 209.
A comparison of the total values of the amplitude of the daily seismic registries (RSEM) for the
last 24 hours, with the eruptions of 2002 and 1998, suggests the extrusion of this eruption is
approximately five times greater than the previous ones.

It is to be hoped that the lava emission continues as until now. Yesterday at 20:00 hours and
00:20 today, October 1st, the web-camera showed material expelled from the top towards the
northern side of the volcano. These landslides continued during the night extending towards the
western side and throughout the day they have been increased in number and size.
translated from the official news-release in spanish

Looks like some of the seismographs have been quite busy last night,
from 20:00 local time yesterday till 05:00 today, except for the one in the middle,
which ceased activity about 01:00

Looks like two flows are running down the slopes - then a new explosion?

Still violet eruptions, but people are sleeping yet.....

People in the nearby communities was yesterday (thursday) evening warned about
the increased activity at Colima.

Thursday night there were three explosion, where incandescent material were shot out from
the volcano. So far there has been no damages to human or on any material in the communities
near Colima.

A zone of exclusion goes 6,5 kilometers round the volcano, as well as a preventive zone
11,5 kilometer radius is recommended. Rural communities consists of only 1.000 inhabitants
closer than 10 kilometers from the summit, and in case of intensified activity those will
hopefully be evacuated.

The explosions began Wednesday after the collapse of a dome that had formed recently in the
crater of the 12-thousand-533-foot volcano.

Small landslides began on the north side of the volcano Wednesday night and spread to the
west side on Thursday. The slides also grew in size, according to the volcano observatory
at the University of Colima.

For now, officials say there's no need to evacuate the surrounding communities. They remain
on yellow alert, which bars people from within four miles of the volcano's crater.

Wednesday, September 29th, 2004

Tuesday, September 28th, 2004
As usual - Colima is having a short periode of erupting gas and vapour.
See our web-cam page: Click here

22. february 2004

The Universidad de Colima reported that as of 10 February about five explosions occurred at Colima daily, which was slightly more than during the previous few months. Ash columns rose 2-3 km above the crater and predominately drifted NE and ENE. A significant explosion on 9 February at 0958 produced a plume to ~3.6 km above the volcano that drifted NE. According to the Washington VAAC, during 12-17 February ash plumes were sometimes visible on satellite imagery at a maximum height of ~3 km above the crater.

15.march 2002

Pictures from the web-cam early in the morning (6.30 - 6.41 GMT)

53 seconds between. 7.22-7.23 GMT
Wish to run ahead of the strem?
Compare to the daylight pictures below...

During the past 500 years the Colima volcano has had a frequency in eruptions at about 30 years.
Look at these years: 1585, 1606, 1622, 1690, 1818, 1869, 1890, 1903 og 1913,
to name a few.

17.julyi 1999 - Photo Courtesy of University of Colima

(Colima photo courtesy of the University of Colima. )