Photographer Frank Fournier arrived at the ruined Colombian town of Armero at dawn on Nov. 16, 1985, to find mud and debris where streets once stood.
More than 23,000 people died when volcanic mudflows, known as lahars, buried the town after the Nevado del Ruiz eruption. Rescue efforts were hampered by a lack of basic equipment like water pumps, leaving survivors stranded in the rising water.
Thirteen-year-old Omayra trapped in the wreckage became the tragedy’s most enduring symbol. She spent nearly 60 hours in the flooded ruins before dying.
Nevado del Ruiz eruption caused mudflows as authorities failed to evacuate
The Nevado del Ruiz volcano had shown signs of unrest for months, culminating in an eruption on the evening of Nov. 13, 1985. Heat from the eruption melted ice and snow at the summit, sending massive mudflows down the slopes into the valley below.
Local authorities did not order a full evacuation despite prior warnings from scientists and earlier ash ejections in the area. Many residents remained at home after receiving conflicting or reassuring messages from local officials.
Investigators later found that residents who received phone warnings from relatives and fled immediately managed to escape the path of the disaster. Two hours passed between the evening eruption and the arrival of the lahars in Armero.
Rescue Efforts and Omayra’s Final Hours
Rescuers reached Omayra quickly but could not pull her free because her legs were pinned beneath concrete and debris under the water. They provided drinking water, spoke with her, and prayed alongside the trapped teenager as her condition deteriorated.
“I heard people crying for help and then silence. A terrifying silence,” Fournier recalled of the scene.
Reporters eventually gathered around the site, and Omayra even delivered a message to her mother through a camera lens. “Mom, if you hear me, and I think you do, pray so that I can walk and these people help me,” she told Paris Match according to historical accounts.
Workers repeatedly requested a water pump to lower the flood level around her, but the equipment failed to arrive in time. A privately donated pump finally reached the site shortly after she passed away on Nov. 16.
World Press Photo Impact
Fournier transmitted his film to Paris, and the resulting photograph of Omayra looking directly into the camera was published days after her death. The image won the World Press Photo award in 1986 but also sparked intense public anger and debate over media ethics.
Critics questioned why the photographer took the picture instead of intervening, though Fournier explained that pulling her out without heavy equipment was physically impossible. “People asked: Why didn’t you help her? Why didn’t you pull her out? But it was not possible,” Fournier explained.
He maintained that publishing the image served a vital purpose by exposing the government’s failure and raising international funds for other survivors. “I was glad that there was a reaction. It would have been worse if people didn’t care,” he said.
Questions about the Armero mudflows and Omayra Sánchez
What caused the mudflows that destroyed Armero?
The eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano melted snow and ice on the peak, creating destructive lahars of water, mud, and debris that swept down into the valley.
Did Omayra Sánchez’s family survive the disaster?
Her mother and younger brother survived the catastrophe, while her father died in the collapsed home during the initial impact of the mudflows.
When did the photograph of Omayra win its major award?
The powerful image captured by Frank Fournier earned the top prize in the World Press Photo contest in 1986.
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