Many individuals worked to pull the teenager out of the muck, but to no avail. The mud was, indeed, too thick. Also complicating the rescue was the fact that Omayra's lower body was entangled by her house's wreckage, and possibly the body of her father. The rescue team, having only rope and a few other simple tools, did not have the necessary equipment to pull her out of the slime. (Cirbertol) Many other people were also in need of assistance as well, as Omayra was only one of many thousands needing help. Rescue teams were also limited, being comprised mainly of locals, with little significant government intervention. Columbia has been in civil war for many years, and therefore could not provide adequate support to the victims of Armero. All in all, only about five thousand people survived the wrath of the Nevado del Ruiz, so it is likely that many individuals died the same slow and agonizing death that Omayra did. .
Considering the information, it appears that Omayra Sanchez's death was unavoidable. Or was it? According to the United States Geological Survey, there were a number of easily identifiable warning signs that Nevado del Ruiz was going to erupt. Some of these signs included: "earthquakes, increased fumarolic activity from the summit crater, and small pheatic explosions." (Deadly Lahars) From these signs, it should have been obvious to the people living near the volcano that something unpleasant was going to happen. The town of Armero should have been evacuated long before the actual eruption. If this action had been carried out, tens of thousands of human lives would have been saved, and Omayra Sanchez would have lived to see adulthood. If the necessary precautions were taken, even evacuation might not have been necessary, and not one life would have been lost. If the town's population had been moved to the high grounds, none would have been killed by the muddy flood waters.