Volcano Tragedy: Claudia Ramirez Looks For Her Son

Andres Felipe Cubides Ramirez was 6-years-old in 1985, when the Nevada del Ruiz volcano buried his hometown in Colombia under a layer of mud and rubble. 20,000 people lost their lives in the tragedy, and for over two decades, Felipe was feared to be one of them.

Yet 26 years later, Felipe's mother feels certain that her son is still alive, MSNBC reports. Claudia Ramirez Villamizar was a 21-year-old student in Bogota when she watched the volcano destroy her hometown Armero, MSNBC learned. She spent years looking for her son, but found no sign of life.

Yet recently Claudia saw a documentary about the volcano showing footage of a slim boy drinking a cup of water right after the disaster. Claudia is certain that boy is Felipe.

Claudia made a Facebook page to locate her son, who she believes has been adopted by a foreign couple. The page, connected to the Armando Armero Foundation, collects photos of other children who went missing after the volcano eruption and who might still be alive. The page also provides sketches and drawings of what the children might look like today.

Armero, Claudia and Felipe's hometown, was one of four towns hit by the Nevada del Ruiz disaster. According to the BBC, the town was left in ruins. Because the eruption happened at night, when many people were asleep, a large part of the population perished. The Nevada del Ruiz, locally known as the Sleeping Lion, had not erupted in 150 years.