Colombia’s ‘lost children’ remain open wound 40 years after deadly volcanic eruption

Record ID: 2272859

  • Title: Colombia’s ‘lost children’ remain open wound 40 years after deadly volcanic eruption
  • Date: 13th November 2025
  • Summary: PEOPLE DURING COMMEMORATIVE EVENT OF THE TRAGEDY LOGO READING (Spanish): “ARMERO 40 YEARS” (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DIRECTOR OF THE COLOMBIAN FAMILY WELFARE INSTITUTE, ASTRID ELIANA CACERES CARDENAS, SAYING: “It (Eds note: referring to red book that has information and records from the time) has photos, records and testimonies of those children who went through our instituti
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Armero Colombia Disaster Nevado del Ruiz volcano Survivors Tragedy Victims Volcano explosion
  • Location: ARMERO, TOLIMA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIA
  • City: ARMERO, TOLIMA DEPARTMENT, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: Disaster/Accidents,South America / Central America,Earthquakes/Volcanoes/Tsunami
  • Reuters ID: LVA005185813112025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Forty years after a volcanic eruption triggered a deadly mudslide that buried the town of Armero, Colombians gathered on Thursday (November 13) to honor the victims of one of Latin America’s worst natural disasters. The 1985 tragedy claimed about 25,000 lives—nearly 70% of the town’s population.
    Lit candles and scapulars adorned the grave of Omaira Sanchez, the 13-year-old whose desperate struggle to survive became an enduring symbol of the catastrophe.
    During the commemorative event, officials acknowledged failures in the aftermath. Astrid Eliana Caceres, head of the Colombian Family Welfare Institute, unveiled a restored archive of photos and testimonies, asking forgiveness for “40 years of silence” and pledging to preserve the memory of those lost.
    The Creating Armero Foundation reports that 583 children were reported missing after the landslide, while 150 were rescued alive. Many were adopted abroad through what the group calls irregular processes. Today, DNA testing is helping reunite families, as adoptees like Jennifer de la Rosa experience emotional homecomings decades later.
    (Production: Camilo Cohecha, Javier Andres Rojas, Mariana Hernandez)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register