Colombia starts evacuating 2,500 families near volcano

Colombian officials have begun evacuating families from their homes after a volcano in the center of the country showed high levels of seismic activity that could signal an eruption in the coming days or weeks.

Nearly 2,500 families could be in danger in the event of an eruption, and their evacuation has already been ordered.40 have been evacuated. Officials also shut down a popular national park that surrounds the Nevadodel Ruiz volcano. Dozens of towns are located along rivers that originate near the top of Nevadodel Ruiz. The volcano’s last major eruption took place in 1985.It unleashed mudslides that buried the town of Armero and killed about 25,000 people.

Last week Colombia’s national agency for risk management issued an orange alert for the volcano after it noticed a greater than normal amount of seismic activity near its crater. The alert indicates that an eruption is “probable” but not “imminent.” The volcano also spewed a 3,000-foot column of ashes on Sunday.