What are mud volcanoes, what risks do they present and how many are there in Colombia?

( Spanish) – Colombian authorities are investigating a “possible eruption” of a mud volcano in the San José de Mulatos region, in the department of Antioquia, in the northwest of the country. Mud volcanoes are geological formations that expel mud, water and gases instead of lava according to the Colombian Geological Service (SGC).

This phenomenon occurs when The pressure of underground fluids rises to the surface, creating mounds of mud and releasing gases.

The SGC notes that although they are not as destructive as traditional volcanoes, they can pose significant risks to nearby communities, such as flooding, damage to infrastructure and contamination of water sources.

In Colombia, mud volcanoes are mainly found in the Caribbean and Andean regions. The Totumo mud volcano in the Caribbean is one of the best known “These volcanoes are evidence of mud diapirisma phenomenon generated by the intense bacterial activity on sludge accumulated on the seabed where large quantities of sediments and organic matter enter and remain buried in the subsoil.

However, the SGC highlights that although these volcanoes are not so common, their activity can generate risks such as flooding or alteration of nearby ecosystems.

Although they do not cause violent eruptions, mud volcanoes in Colombia can release gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, which pollute the surrounding air and water. “The accumulation of more and more sediments exerts high pressure on the organic matter and generates its partial transformation into gases” causing “due to differences between the density and chemical composition of the sludge rich in organic matter and the thicker sediments, cause bulges on the surface and the release of sludge, water and methane gas.”

The SGC emphasizes that monitoring these phenomena is crucial to mitigate their environmental and social impacts.

As detailed by SGC in Colombia more than 100 volcanoes have been identified of mud, but it is believed that there could be many more. Divers on the seabed between Barranquilla and Santa Marta have recorded more than 100 active mouths, which suggests a diapirism not yet scientifically described.

For its part, a analysis published in 2020 by the EAFIT University of Colombia, points out that mud volcanoes are found in several departments such as Antioquia and Córdoba, with known examples such as San Antero and Arboletes.

They are also found in areas near Cartagena, such as Turbaco, Mamonal and El Totumo. These volcanoes are important indicators of the geological processes that affect the region, both on land and underwater.

Among the best known and cited mud volcanoes in this analysis are: