Bogota - Avalanches and mudslides killed at least four
people and left three missing after the eruption this week of the
Nevado del Huila volcano in south-western Colombia, local leaders
said.
Marco Tuilio Tocomas, governor of the indigenous zone of
Caloto-Vila, said Friday that four bodies were found near the
community and they appeared to have been dragged by avalanches.
National authorities had not yet confirmed any deaths from an
avalanche over the Paez River, which witnesses said covered a swath
up to 200 metres wide and took everything in its path.
The snow-covered, 5,364-metre volcano erupted Thursday night,
prompting a red alert and orders to evacuate nearby areas. Regional
authorities said about 13,000 people had been relocated.
Reporters at the scene said at least eight bridges were wiped out,
cutting off communication with the municipalities of Belalcazar and
Nataga in the departments of Cauca and Nataga.
The state geological agency Ingeominas said the US Volcanic Ash
Advisories Center reported two columns of gases and ash reaching up
to 10,000 meters above the crater.
Nevado del Huila is the highest peak in Colombia's central Andean
range. It began erupting in February 2007 in its most recent cycle of
activity.
Other volcanoes have also increased their activity in recent days,
including Galeras in the south-western department of Narino and
Machin in the west-central Tolima department.
More than 60 people fled the zone near the Machin volcano on
November 9 because of increasing tremors.
USA
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