BOGOTA: Officials in Colombia started to evacuate as many as 40 families from their homes Monday after the Nevado del Ruiz volcano, which is in the center of the country, showed increased levels of seismic activity that could hint an eruption may occur in the coming days or weeks.
Colombian officials also closed a popular national park that surrounds the volcano and stated that schools located within a 10-kilometer radius of the volcano’s crater would hold online classes only after children return home following Easter holidays due next week.
Colombian province of Caldas’ Governor Luis Carlos Velasquez stated these are preventative measures. The province is situated west of the 5,300-meter-tall volcano.
Velasquez made the comments from the Villamaria village, which is near the volcano’s crater and had been the 1st settlement that was evacuated.
A few dozen towns are situated along rivers that begin near the volcano’s top. The Nevado del Ruiz volcano’s previous major eruption took place nearly 40 years ago in 1985.
At that time, the eruption led to mudslides in which 25,000 people perished, and the town of Armero was buried.
Orange alert issued after active volcano intensifies seismic activity
Colombia’s national agency for risk management had issued an orange alert last week for the volcano. This measure came after the agency observed more than normal seismic activity close to its crater.
The alert shows that an eruption is “probable” but not “imminent.” The volcano also spewed a 3,000-foot column of ashes on Sunday.
