SITREP NO. (36) ERUPTION OF VOLCANO RUIZ

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91B00874R000100040020-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2011
• Sequence Number: 20
• Publication Date: November 19, 1985
• Content Type: CABLE

Approved For Release 2011/08/31 : CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100040020-6
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UNCLAS BOGOTA 14314
STATE PASS TU USAID
AID FOR UFUA AND USGS
USCINCSO DELIVER IMMEDIATELY TO COL. KLINE
E.U. 1335b: N/A
UNCLASSIFIED
III I Approved For Release 2011/08/31 : CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100040020-6
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Approved For Release 2011/08/31 : CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100040020-6
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TAGS: EAIU, TPHY, CASC, CO
SJ BJ EC T: S IT RE P NO. (36) ERUPTION OF VOLCANO R UI Z
1. FIVE DAYS INTO OUR RELIEF EFFORT FOLLOWING THE
VOLCANO EXPLOSION AT NEVADO DEL RUIZ, AEwAP-UP OF WHAT HAS BEEN
ACCOMPLISHED. KITH MAJOR FOCUS ON THE JSG
CONTRIBUTION. EMBASSY SITREPS, VgHILE COVERING MUST OF
THE PJINTS DISCUSSED 8ELU4 TO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS. ALSO
HAVE DEALT ALREADY WITH OTHER NATION P8M
EARLY THURSDAY, AND BY THURSDAY AF TERNUOi'I THE GOC HAD
ABSORBED THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DISASTER AND OFFICIALLY
REQUESTED AID FROM THE USG AND OTHER NATIONS. I
DECLARED A DISASTER, AS PROVIDED UNDER U.S. LAv, AND
TRAINED RELIEF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT BEGAN MOVING,
VIA AIU/OF)A, AT USSOUTHCOM AND ELSEWHERE. (EVEiN BEFORE
THE OFFICIAL DECLARATION, ACTIVE COORDINATION AS
UJDERrVAY BET6EE1J THIS EMBASSY, THE PERTI JENJT USG
AGENCIES, AND THE GOC). MEAN"RILE, THE GUC USING ITS
UVJN MEANS (ESPECIALLY NATIONAL POLICE ANU AIR (#) CRITICAL INITIAL
EFFORTS TO
RESCUE HUNDREDS OF PERSONS TRAPPED UN ROOFTOPS, IN
TREES, AND HALF-BURIED IN THE MUD.
3. AT THIS EMBASSY, WE FURMED AN EMERGENCY DISASTER
MA!iAGEMENTTEAM, UNDER COORDINATION OF THE-AID OFFICER,
V UICH WAS KEPT STAFFED AND 'ACTIVE a4 HOURS-- A DAY FROM
THURSDAY MORNING ON. TPR#S t THIS TEAM HERE
COORDINATED THE ARRIVAL. OF AIRCRAFT AND HEICOPTERS FROM
USSOUTHCOM, OFDA OZSASTER 44444 A$CE MANAGEMENT EXPERT
PAUL. BELL # USGS VOLCANO EXPERT CARRELL HERD (AND A
SUBSEQUENT, LARGER TEAM), MY OWN THREE LENGTHY AND
(#)FRIDAY, SATURDAY
A*) SUNDAY) AND THE VISIT OF GEN. G-ALVIN, COCSQUTMCOM.
4. BY FRIDAY, INITIAL PLANELOADS OF US AID ARRIVED FROM
PANAMA BY C-130 AND HELICOPTERS. TENTS AND BEDDING
dERE PRIMARY ITEMS, AND SORELY NEEDED . A COMMAND
CENTER AS ESTABLISHED AT PALANGUElU, AND (THANKS IN
LARGE MEASURE TO THE EARLY ARRIVAL OF 500 LARGE TENTS,
SUPPLIED FROM AID STUCK AT USSOUTHCOM VIA PANAMA
AIRCRAFT) cMERGENCY "TENT CITIES" FOR SURVIVORS
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BEGAN TO RISE AT PALANUUERO, LERIDA ANU OTHER NEARBY
SITES.
5. (#) ITS PEAK
AND BEGAN TO LEVEL OFF. THE CIHCUMMA$CE3 OF THE MUD
SLIDE' WEREt'$UCH THAT MOST VICTIMS WERE KILLED
OUTRIGHT. SURVIVORS InERE PLUCKED FROM THEIR PLACES OF
REFUGE AND CARRIED TO SAFER AREAS BY (#) LARGE C-47'S WERE
PARTICULARLY CRUCIAL FOR FERRY MISSIONS, SINCE THEY
MERE VIRTUALLY THE ONLY HELICOPTERS ON SITE WITH THE
CAPACITY TO (#) AIRPLANE, BUT US HEAVY LIFT CAPACITY
HELICOPTERS HERE ESSENTIAL TO GET IT TO THERE IT YEAS
NEEDED.
6. THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD, AS LITERALLY DOZENS OF
FOREIGN PLANES AND HELICOPTERS DECENDED ON COLUMBIA,
THE GOC FORCES WERE EFFICIENT AND PROFESSIONAL IN
THEIR MANAGEMENT OF ARRIVING SUPPLIES. BY SUNDAY,
STATE PASS TO USAID
AID FOR UFUA AND USGS
USCINCSU DELIVER IMMEDIATELY TU COL. KLINE
E.U. 13356: N/A
TAGS: SAID, TPHY, CASC, CU
SUBJECT: SITREP NO. (3b) ERUPTION OF VOLCANO RUIZ
AMPLE STOCKS OF ALL KINDS OF NECESSARY SUPPLIES
MERE AT THE DISASTER SITES--FOOD, CLOTHING, AND SHELTER.
A BEGAN TO CONSIDER GRADUALLY STANDING DOWN THE
US AVIATION EFFORT; WHILE RETAINING SOME USEFULNESS.
US HELICOPTERS ARE BECOMING LESS ESSENTIAL AS ROADS
RE-OPEN, ANU ARE INCREASINGLY BEING USED FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE FERRY MISSIONS. THE GUC HAS ANNOUNCED
PLANS FOR A MEETING OF INTERNATIONAL DONORS, TO BE
HELD THIS AFTERNNON, NOVEMBER 18, TO CONSIDER LONG-
RANGE RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS. THAT aE HAVE REACHED
THIS STAGE SU QUICKLY, AFTER AN ENORMOUS HUMAN
DISASTER, AND MOREOVER ONE AHICH OCCURRED IN A REMUTL
,,, Approved For Release 2011/08/31 CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100040020-6
 Approved For Release 2011/08/31 : CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100040020-6
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~.~ AREA WITH VIRTUALLY NO INTACT ROADS,IS A TRIBUTE
TO THE SPEED OF THE INTERNATIONAL REACTION AND THE
EFFICIENCY (SOMEWHAT MALIGNED IN THE INTERNATIONAL
PRESS) OF THE GOC'S MANAGEMENT.
7. IT WILL ALSO BEAR MENTIONING THAT CULUH6IAN PRESS
1.1 COVERAGE OF TOE US61S WAWU PRIVATE US? R LLEF EFFORTS
HAS BEEW EXTENSILE AND VERY FAVO$ASLE. LEADING DAILY EL
TIEMPO RAN A SPECIAL STORY ENTITLED, ?110 US MILITARY
MEN ASSISTING IN THE RESCUE". EL ESPECTADOR LED OFF A
FULL PAGE STORY ON INTERNATIONAL RELIEF EFFORTS WITH A
P11OTU OF GENERAL GALVIN AND MYSELF AT THE SITE, ALONG
j' WITH A DESCRIPTION OF 12 HELICOPTERS, 110 MEN, AND 350
THOUSAND TUNS OF SUPPLIES PROVIDED BY THE USG, AND THE
1100 PERSONS RESCUED BY US EFFORTS.
GILLESPIE
T,
ENU OF MESSAGE UNCLASSIFIED
I,, . Approved For Release 2011/08/31 : CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100040020-6