Local authorities ordered the evacuation of 24 families residing near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano, reported local media.
The volcano, located between the Caldas and Tolima Departments in central Colombia, is being evacuated due to concerns that there could be an eruption in the coming days or weeks. The order will be in place for one month. A further 39 families have been notified of a potential evacuation.
Some of the people who would suffer the greatest risk in the event of an eruption have failed to respond to the evacuation order, according to newspaper El Espectador.
The evacuated families will each be given a compensation of 150,000 pesos from the Municipal Office for the Prevention of Natural Disasters (OMPAD), according to Radio Santa Fe.
According to the most recent report from the Seismological and Volcanic Observatory of Manizales, the volcanic instability is likely to continue over the next few weeks. The alert level for Nevado del Ruiz sits at orange, meaning an eruption is probable but not imminent.
