Tragic final words of girl trapped in cement-like mud for 60 hours as eyes turned black
A school girl uttered a heartbreaking plea as she resigned to her devastating fate, half buried in the wreckage of her family home.
Omayra Sánchez Garzón was just 13-years-old when she died in a landslide caused by the 1985 eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Armero, Tolima in Colombia.
Terrifying volcanic lava mixed with ice - known as lahar - flooded into the river valleys below the mountain and towards villages. A wall of the cement-like mud obliterated Omayra's home.
In total, about 25,000 people died with a total of 14 villages destroyed. Young Omayra was trapped underneath the lahar from the waist down and remained in the water for three days.
Rescue workers worked desperately to help her escape but it soon became apparent that they would not be able to give her the life-saving care she neeeded if they were to amputate her legs and free her.
The teen's calm demeanor transformed into complete agony as her eyes turned black, and relief workers, photographers and journalists all took it in turns to comfort her during her final moments, bringing her fizzy drinks and sweets.
Her tragic struggle captivated people across the world as they watched the horror unfold on television screens. Harrowing videos and images of Omayra made international news.
Omaya's final words are said to have been caught on camera, after Colombian news channel RCN aired a video of her with bloodshot eyes as she stayed stuck in the doomed water, the Daily Mail reports.
Addressing her family, Omayra heartbreakingly said: "Pray so that I can walk, and for these people to help me. Mummy, I love you very much, daddy I love you, my brother, I love you."
Omayra lived in the Santander neighbourhood with her parents Álvaro Enrique, a rice and sorghum collector, and María Aleida, along with her brother Álvaro Enrique and aunt María Adela Garzón. On the night of the disaster, the family lay awake, worrying about the impending eruption and volcanic ash.
Suddenly, they heard the rush of the approaching lahar and it quickly hit the concrete home. Omayra was trapped under the roof, and was only discovered when her hand was able to squeeze through a crack and was spotted by a rescue worker.
Despite their attempts to pull her out, there was nothing they could do. Each time a person pulled her, the water pooled around her, rising so that it seemed she would drown if they let her go, so rescue workers placed a tire around her body to keep her afloat.
By the third night she was hallucinating and mentioned not being late for school for her math exam. Near the end of her life, her eyes reddened, her face swelled, and her hands whitened.
While her brother survived the lahars; her father and aunt died. Her mother, who was away in Bogota for business at the time of the eruption, said after her daughter's death: "It is horrible, but we have to think about the living... I will live for my son, who only lost a finger."
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Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Tragic final words of girl trapped in cement-like mud for 60 hours as eyes turned black
A school girl was left to die half buried under the wreckage of her family home after a devastating landslide left her trapped for an agonising 60 hours A school girl uttered a heartbreaking plea as she resigned to her devastating fate, half buried in the wreckage of her family home. Omayra Sánchez Garzón was just 13-years-old when she died in a landslide caused by the 1985 eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Armero, Tolima in Colombia. Terrifying volcanic lava mixed with ice - known as lahar - flooded into the river valleys below the mountain and towards villages. A wall of the cement-like mud obliterated Omayra's home. In total, about 25,000 people died with a total of 14 villages destroyed. Young Omayra was trapped underneath the lahar from the waist down and remained in the water for three days. Rescue workers worked desperately to help her escape but it soon became apparent that they would not be able to give her the life-saving care she neeeded if they were to amputate her legs and free her. The teen's calm demeanor transformed into complete agony as her eyes turned black, and relief workers, photographers and journalists all took it in turns to comfort her during her final moments, bringing her fizzy drinks and sweets. Her tragic struggle captivated people across the world as they watched the horror unfold on television screens. Harrowing videos and images of Omayra made international news. Omaya's final words are said to have been caught on camera, after Colombian news channel RCN aired a video of her with bloodshot eyes as she stayed stuck in the doomed water, the Daily Mail reports. Addressing her family, Omayra heartbreakingly said: "Pray so that I can walk, and for these people to help me. Mummy, I love you very much, daddy I love you, my brother, I love you." Omayra lived in the Santander neighbourhood with her parents Álvaro Enrique, a rice and sorghum collector, and María Aleida, along with her brother Álvaro Enrique and aunt María Adela Garzón. On the night of the disaster, the family lay awake, worrying about the impending eruption and volcanic ash. Suddenly, they heard the rush of the approaching lahar and it quickly hit the concrete home. Omayra was trapped under the roof, and was only discovered when her hand was able to squeeze through a crack and was spotted by a rescue worker. Despite their attempts to pull her out, there was nothing they could do. Each time a person pulled her, the water pooled around her, rising so that it seemed she would drown if they let her go, so rescue workers placed a tire around her body to keep her afloat. By the third night she was hallucinating and mentioned not being late for school for her math exam. Near the end of her life, her eyes reddened, her face swelled, and her hands whitened. While her brother survived the lahars; her father and aunt died. Her mother, who was away in Bogota for business at the time of the eruption, said after her daughter's death: "It is horrible, but we have to think about the living... I will live for my son, who only lost a finger."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Heartbreaking final words of young girl trapped in mudflow for 60 hours
'Mummy, I love you very much'. These were the devastating last words of 13-year-old Omayra Sanchez, who died a slow and agonising death while the world watched from their television screens. For nearly three days, the school girl remained trapped in the wreckage of her family home after Colombia's Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted on November 13, 1985 - unleashing a wall of mud that wiped the entire town of Armero off the map. The teen spent 60 hours trapped from the waist down under the cement-like lahar, while emergency services worked tirelessly to free her. But her tragic plight quickly captivated the world, after Red Cross rescue workers were forced to give up their efforts to help her when it became apparent that they would not be able to give her life saving care. Rescuers, photographers and journalists spent Omayra's final moments with her, taking it in turns to comfort her and keep her company, bringing her fizzy drinks and sweets. The tragedy was heavily documented, with harrowing videos and images of Omayra reaching households across the world. Her last words are believed to have been caught on camera, after Colombian broadcaster RCN aired a video of Omayra showing her with bloodshot eyes as she remained submerged in the muddy water. Addressing her mother, a nurse who had travelled to the capital Bogota for work before the disaster unfolded, Omayra said: 'Pray so that I can walk, and for these people to help me. 'Mummy, I love you very much, daddy I love you, my brother, I love you'. After 60 hours, Omayra's hands went white and her eyes turned black, and not long after, she died. On her third and final day, rescue workers say Omayra began to hallucinate, telling bystanders she was worried about being being late for her maths exam. She also told those keeping her company to go home so that they could rest. After her death, it was found that her aunt's arms were tangled around Omayra's legs. But it was one particular image of Omayra, holding onto life as rescuers tried to free her body from the mud, that became emblematic of the tragedy and continued to capture the world's attention in the days after the disaster. French photo-journalist Frank Fournier captured her final moments in a heartbreaking photograph, which went on to win the World Press Photo of the year in 1986. Fournier received backlash from public, with several questioning why he didn't help Omayra as she took her last breaths. But in an interview with the BBC, the French photographer spoke about how it was impossible to save her and defended his decision to take pictures of her before her death. 'There was an outcry - debates on television on the nature of the photojournalist, how much he or she is a vulture. But I felt the story was important for me to report and I was happier that there was some reaction; it would have been worse if people had not cared about it. 'I am very clear about what I do and how I do it, and I try to do my job with as much honesty and integrity as possible. I believe the photo helped raise money from around the world in aid and helped highlight the irresponsibility and lack of courage of the country's leaders.' 'There was an obvious lack of leadership. There were no evacuation plans, yet scientists had foreseen the catastrophic extent of the volcano's eruption. He also recalled her final moments, explaining how 'dawn was breaking and the poor girl was in pain and very confused. 'When I took the pictures I felt totally powerless in front of this little girl, who was facing death with courage and dignity. She could sense that her life was going.' Fournier added: 'People still find the picture disturbing. This highlights the lasting power of this little girl. I was lucky that I could act as a bridge to link people with her. It's the magic of the thing,' Speaking about Omayra, Fournier recalled that the girl was 'an incredible personality'. 'She spoke to the people trying to save her with utmost respect, telling them to go home and rest and then come back'. Omayra lived with her father, younger brother and aunt at the time of the tragedy, all of whom died instantly after being swallowed up by the deadly lahar. Her mother Maria Aleida Sanchez had travelled to Bogota to work as a nurse, who helplessly watched on from the capital as her daughter's state declined. Thirty years after her daughter's death, Maria spoke fondly of her daughter in a 2015 interview. 'Omayra loved studying. She was very special to me, and she adored her brother. She had her dolls, but she hung them on the wall. She didn't like playing with dolls and was dedicated to her studies'. The volcano, that overlooks the town of Armero in eastern Colombia, had been dormant for 69 years, and so residents and authorities didn't fret much about the possibility of an eruption, nicknaming it the 'sleeping lion'. Scientists had warned of a deadly eruption for months, but no response plan was put in place. When the Nevado del Ruiz erupted, it melted part of its snowcap, creating a 150-ft-high wall of mud that swept down the Lagunilla River. About 23,000 of Armero's estimated 28,000 residents died or went missing as the mudslide pulled trees from their roots and enveloped entire homes. Another 2,000 people were killed or disappeared on the opposite side of the volcano. It took relief workers 12 hours to reach Armero after the devastating eruption, which meant victims who had sustained serious injuries were already dead. The town, once known as 'the white city' was littered with fallen trees, human bodies and piles of debris. Armero has since remained a ghost town after its surviving inhabitants relocated to the nearing towns of Guayabal and Lerida. What is left of Armero are destroyed buildings, vehicles and cemeteries to commemorate the thousands of lives that were lost.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
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