The eruption of a black and gray ash cloud began at 0545 on 19 March from two new vents. Fine gray ash was deposited as far as 7 km away. The volcano was visited a few days later by Guillermo Cajino, who noted a small tremor and rumbling noises while 5 km from Puracé at 2300 on 24 March. The next day, he observed the emission of a gas column from the two vents, which scattered ash SE over the flanks. By 28 March the fume clouds rose only 200 m.

Geological Summary. Puracé in Colombia consists of an andesitic stratovolcano with a 500-m-wide summit crater constructed over a dacitic shield volcano. It lies at the NW end of a volcanic massif opposite Pan de Azúcar stratovolcano, 6 km SE. A NW-SE-trending group of seven cones and craters, Los Coconucos, lies between the two larger edifices. Frequent explosive eruptions in the 19th and 20th centuries have modified the morphology of the summit crater. The largest eruptions occurred in 1849, 1869, and 1885.

Information Contacts: U.S. Dept. of State.