Locals were left terrified after a mud volcano erupted in a huge fireball.
The enormous mushroom-shaped blaze filled the night sky and caused a large fissure to open up in the ground.
Nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.
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It erupted in San Juan de Urabá in northern Colombia at around 9pm yesterday (25 Feb).
The explosion took place near the town’s water treatment plant, as reported by What’s The Jam.
A spokesperson for the regional Department of Risk Management (DRAGAN) said: “A mud diapir (volcano) erupted near the municipal water treatment plant.
“Preliminary reports indicate that, although there are homes near the site of the emergency, no injuries have been reported.
“So far, only the road to the Siete Vueltas 2 district has been affected.
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“We remain in communication with the municipality’s disaster risk management coordinator to support the response and assessment of the situation.
“In addition to the visit from the DAGRAN technical team, the Antioquia Infrastructure Secretariat will send personnel and heavy equipment to the area to clear the road.”
The agency explained that diapirism is a geological phenomenon in which mud and gases rise to the surface due to internal pressure.
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According to the Colombian Geological Survey (SGC), mud volcano eruptions occur in “structures different from magmatic volcanoes and their eruptions are very small in comparison”.
They added: “In Colombia, hundreds of mud volcanoes are found in the departments of Atlántico, Córdoba, Sucre, Bolívar, and Antioquia, in areas near the Caribbean coast.
“In total, there are more than 100 mud volcanoes and hundreds of additional mudflows from vents that are not volcanoes.”
“The threat posed by these types of volcanoes is related to mudflows towards agricultural and residential areas, ground fissures, and the potential explosiveness of gases.”
The area currently remains without power as the authorities continue to monitor the eruption site.
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