Colombia raises alert at Galeras volcano amid increasing activity

Colombia raises alert at Galeras volcano amid increasing activity

2011-11-26 23:06:59 GMT+7 (ICT)

BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (BNO NEWS) -- Authorities in Colombia raised the alert level at the Galeras volcano to Level II on Friday due to increased volcanic activity, officials said on early Saturday, causing fears that an eruption is imminent.

Marta Calvache, of the Volcanic Observatory of the Colombian Institute of Geology and Mining (Ingeominas), said persistent tremors have continued in the volcanic area similar to those experienced during the eruptions which occurred between 1992 and 2010. As a result, an orange warning level was issued, which means an eruption could occur in a matter of days or weeks.

The 4,276 meter-high (14,029 feet) Galeras volcano is located in Colombia's western Nariño department, near the Ecuadorian border, and approximately 700 kilometers (435 miles) from Bogota, Colombia's capital.

Galeras' recent recorded tremors, Calvache explained, indicate interactions between the hydrothermal systems and magma, which could lead to explosive eruptions or the spewing of ash clouds.

As a precaution, Nariño Governor Antonio Navarro has already ordered the closure of roads in the region and ordered the suspension of activities at schools which are located in danger zones.

The Regional Disaster Prevention and Attention Committee has further begun to prepare for the evacuation of more than 8,000 people who reside in the nearby communities of La Florida and Nariño. Temporary camps are being set up to house thousands who will eventually be evacuated if the volcanic activity continues.

Galeras' first recorded eruption was on December 7, 1580, not too long after the Spanish conquest. In 1993, at least nine people were killed as the result of an eruption. Among those killed were six scientists who had entered its crater to sample gases.

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