The Penthouse Above the Flood

In 1985, a luxury hotel perched high on the cliffs above Armero, Colombia, advertised itself as the safest address in the valley. Its brochure boasted panoramic views and elevation that put guests "above it all." When the Nevado del Ruiz volcano began rumbling that November, the hotel owner dismissed the warnings. He had geology on his side, he said. No lahar could reach his elevation.…