Colombia’s Galeras volcano earthquake kills 2; damages homes, roadways
BOGOTA: The Galeras Volcano in southern Colombia registered two moderate earthquakes on Tuesday that left two people dead, several homes and roadways damaged, said local authorities.
The back- to- back volcanic earthquakes have placed local authorities in the nearby city of Pasto, capital of Narino Province, on high alert.
“We have activated all of the protocols ... to attend to the emergency,” Narino Governor Camilo Romero said on Twitter.
The two people died when their house was crushed by falling rocks.
According to the Colombian Geological Service, the first quake occurred at 4.35am local time and registered 4.5 on the Richter scale.
With an epicenter just 30km deep, the seismic waves were strongly felt in various regions around the volcano.
A minute later, a second quake measuring magnitude- 4.3 hit, with the epicenter at a depth of 30km.
Several mild aftershocks have followed. Officials suspended classes in local schools as a precaution.
Galeras is Colombia’s most active volcano.
Its last eruption was in January 2010, when some 8,000 people were evacuated. — Bernama