Climate

Puracé Volcano Ash Emissions Escalate as Cauca Remains on Orange Alert

Md.Moshail Ahmed

August 10, 2026

Strong Puracé volcano ash emissions were recorded in Cauca department, Colombia, heightening local fears of an imminent eruption as the volcanic system remains under an Orange Alert. The Colombian Geological Survey ( Servicio Geológico Colombiano – SGC) maintained the elevated warning level after monitoring stations detected multiple gas-and-ash discharges alongside intense seismic tremors beneath the Los Coconucos volcanic chain. Consequently, municipal disaster risk management teams across Puracé and Popayán have mobilized emergency protocols and urged surrounding indigenous and rural communities to remain on high alert.

Severe Puracé Volcano Ash Emissions Trigger Heightened Emergency Response

The surge in activity began when the SGC raised the volcano’s alert status from Yellow to Orange—signifying a significantly increased probability of a major eruption within days or weeks. Furthermore, recent monitoring reports confirmed six distinct Puracé volcano ash emissions over a single 24-hour window, with gas-and-ash plumes reaching up to 3.4 kilometers above the summit and dropping fine ash onto local settlements including Coconuco, Cristales, and Loma Linda.

Puracé Volcanic Escalation Sequence

(Operational breakdown of rising activity in Cauca department)

↓

Alert Level Raised to Orange

(SGC elevates warning status following record sulfur dioxide fluxes and seismicity)

↓

Multiple Gas & Ash Outbreaks

(Repeated ash emissions drop volcanic particulate across nearby rural veredas)

↓

Emergency Mobilization & Evacuation Readiness

(Civil defense agencies issue safety advisories and prepare assembly routes)

Because gas temperatures near the crater reached 140°C alongside record-high emissions of sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), geologists warned that pressurized hydrothermal fluids continue to destabilize the internal conduit.

“Although we cannot predict the exact moment an eruption might occur, the parameters we are measuring represent the highest activity levels recorded here since monitoring began in 1993. Communities must remain prepared.”

—Nathalia Contreras, Director of Geohazards at the Colombian Geological Survey (SGC)

Local Preparation and Seismic Monitoring Across Cauca Department

Meanwhile, civil protection authorities in Cauca department have advised residents in the immediate hazard zone to protect water supplies, wear protective face masks against fine ash, and stay clear of the Puracé National Natural Park summit routes. In addition, local indigenous councils ( Cabildos Indígenas ) have established direct communication channels with regional emergency operators to coordinate swift evacuations if the alert is upgraded to Red.

Although a temporary drop in seismic frequency can occur between gas bursts, officials caution that fluctuating activity does not indicate stabilization.Therefore, round-the-clock monitoring remains active to track internal magma movement and surface deformation.

Monitoring Parameter	Observed Volcanic Metrics & Status
Alert Level	Orange Alert (Significant increase in eruptive probability).
Location	Los Coconucos Volcanic Chain, Puracé, Cauca, Colombia.
Plume Elevation	Gas and ash columns reaching up to 3,400 meters above the summit.
Primary Risk Factors	Ashfall, toxic gas emissions ($SO_2$), pyroclastic flows, and lahars.