Colombia to evacuate those closest to Nevado del Ruiz volcano

FILE PHOTO: The crater of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano is seen, after the authorities declared an orange alert and asked the population for a preventive evacuation, in Villamaria, Colombia April 2, 2023. REUTERS/Andres Camilo Valencia

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian authorities plan to evacuate people living within 15 kilometers of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano, which is being monitored for a possible eruption, with more evacuations possible in the coming days.

The government raised the volcano's alert level to orange last week, following a surge in seismic activity that suggested a heightened chance of an eruption in the coming days or weeks.