Volcano eruption forces evacuation of 8,000 in S-W Colombia

Around 8,000 people were ordered to leave their homes on Sunday in Narino Province, southwestern Colombia, after a mild eruption of the Galeras Volcano in the province. The 4,276-metre-high volcano, located near the southern ColombianCity of Pasto, had a mild eruption at about 7.20 am local time (1220 GMT) on Sunday morning, said Martha Calvache, director of the National Geology and Mining Institute. There have been no reports of casualties or material damage. The institute declared a red alert which means an eruption is under way. The regional government ordered an evacuation of the area around Galeras, which is home to around 8,000 people and is some 700 kilometres away from the capital of Bogota. The volcano could be calm for several days, Calvache said. But she warned that it could reactivate, to which she said people should pay close attention.