Cerro Negro Volcano

Location: Nicaragua
12.5N, 86.7W
Elevation: 2,214 ft.

Cerro Negro is one of the most recent basaltic cinder cones to form within the western hemisphere. The last eruption of Cerro Negro was in November of 1995. At this time, the cinder cone was 750 ft. tall. A large percentage of eruptions at Cerro Negro emit pyroclastic material and lava flows. The Cerro Negro volcano spread a large area of farming land with ash. Ash was thrown 1,300 ft. above the crater. This forced the evacuation of 1,400 people from the area. A cloud rose a few miles above the crater. This has brought about ash and rain on towns closeby. This forced more people to be evacuated from the area.

Some bombs that were emitted from the volcano were gigantic. Some measured to be several ft. wide. Observers reported that massive bombs were thrown 2,000 ft. into the air. More explosions ejected material that fell on the lower slopes of the cone.

On December 4, the Department of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations demanded worldwide cooperation for supplies and food items to be sent to the area. Overall, the eruptions devastated the country and forced more than 6,000 people to be evacuated.

Additional Information:

Photographs of the Cerro Negro Eruption