Off The Record
A Photographer Who Took A Photo Of A Girl In A Tragic Mudflow From A Volcano Talks About Why He Could Not Help
One of Colombia’s worst natural disasters occurred on November 13, 1985, when the Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted.
Nearly 30,000 people had lived in the tiny town of Armero at one point, but it had nearly vanished from the map.
Sadly, the town alone saw the deaths of about 20,000 individuals, bringing the total death toll to 25,000.
This terrible incident completely destroyed the village, leading to Armero’s eventual abandonment.
The accident raised important issues regarding readiness and the human cost of inactivity.
A lahar, which is a pyroclastic mudflow, was the main cause of this calamity.
The glaciers atop Nevado del Ruiz melted as a result of the volcano’s eruption, sending mud, ash, and debris streaming down the mountain in torrents.
Three catastrophic floods of these lahars struck Armero, eradicating most of the town’s people. The lahars descended in waves.
The mudflows that followed the initial eruption killed many of the people who had survived.
Despite scientific warnings about the intensity of the eruption, poor evacuation procedures led to this high death toll.
Omayra Sanchez, then 13 years old, had a story from the catastrophe that stood out the most. Her predicament, trapped amid the wreckage of her crumbling house, attracted global attention.
Omayra died after being stranded for three days, despite rescuers’ best efforts to save her. Her narrative turned into a symbol of the catastrophe, particularly after an impactful picture of her was released.
Photographer Frank Fournier got this terrifying picture of Omayra during her last moments.
Her serene yet bloodshot eyes in the picture made her eyes an enduring icon of the Armero tragedy.
The image sparked strong emotions all over the world and significantly raised awareness of the tragedy.
Nevertheless, Fournier came under fire from some who said he did nothing but watch and ignore the little child.
He subsequently clarified that the circumstances precluded Omayra’s rescue. His intention was to draw attention to how serious the catastrophe was and to demand responsibility.
Fournier defended his choice to capture Omayra’s last moments on camera, highlighting the power of photography to spread awareness and inspire action.
He thought that by bringing attention to Colombia’s lack of readiness on a worldwide scale, his work helped the government be criticized for its tardiness in responding.
In addition to raising money for disaster relief, the picture showed the importance of photography in times of humanitarian need.
Thousands of lives were lost in Armero, and Omayra’s terrible death sparked indignation and calls for responsibility.
Her last hours demonstrated her bravery, tenacity, and altruism as she consoled others around her and patiently awaited her end.
The image of Omayra never stops reminding people throughout the globe of the terrible cost of carelessness and inaction, pressing society and governments to place a high priority on readiness and safety.
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