One of world’s deadliest volcanos is poised to erupt in the ‘coming DAYS’

One of the world’s deadliest volcanoes has been dormant since its last eruption in 1985, but a wave of seismic activity indicates it could awaken in the “coming days.”

Colombia’s Nevado del Ruiz recorded an incredible 6,000 earthquakes a day last week, prompting officials to raise the alarm to its second-highest scale and evacuate more than 2,5,000 families in the area.

According to the Colombian Geological Survey (CGS), some 57,000 people live in the danger zone of the volcano, which is spread over parts of six provinces.

The volcano’s 1985 eruption killed more than 25,000 people, the fourth deadliest volcanic eruption in human history, who were buried under avalanches of earth and rock fragments.

CGS believes last week’s earthquakes are due to magma moving through the fault system, paving the way for what could be the next deadly eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz.

The Nevado del Ruiz straddles the border between the Colombian provinces of Tolima and Caldas.

Formed about 150,000 years ago, the volcano reaches an elevation of 17,717 feet and is located about 80 miles west of the capital Bogotá.

It is a stratovolcano consisting of many layers of lava alternating with hardened volcanic ash and rocks.

On November 13, 1985, Nevado del Ruiz spewed hot ash and lava some 7,000 feet into the atmosphere. Earth magazine reports.

The event caused the ground to rumble, releasing mudslides more than 100 feet (30 m) high through the region, killing about 25,000 people.

The eruption was not considered major, but heat was released during the glacier capping event on the volcano, releasing the deadly mudslide onto the villages below.

With Nevado del Ruiz showing signs of activity, officials are taking no chances and evacuating people in the area.

President Gustavo Petro has asked for faster evacuation.

Disaster officials have said livestock — critical to many rural livelihoods — could also be moved, or farmers could return during the day to care for them.

The Nevado del Ruiz straddles the border between the Colombian provinces of Tolima and Caldas

On November 13, 1985, Nevado del Ruiz spewed hot ash and lava some 7,000 feet into the atmosphere. The heat of the eruption melted the surrounding glaciers, engulfing villages in mudslides

However, some residents said they had no intention of leaving their homes.

“It doesn’t scare me because it has already exploded,” said Evelio Ortiz, a potato farmer who survived the 1985 eruption with his wife and five children.

“What was about to erode has eroded.”

Authorities said children should evacuate even if adult relatives choose to stay.

Prior to last week’s activity, officials said an average of 50 earthquakes per day were being recorded, with minor events occurring over the past 10 years.

CGS reported that increased seismic activity was observed for the first time last month, with 6,500 quakes on March 28 to 11,000 quakes on March 29.

Activity began to slow on Sunday, but the volcano spewed out a 900-meter column of ash the same day.

The Colombian Air Force shows an Air Force helicopter flying near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano on April 10 as it continues to emit smoke and ash

The government raised the volcano’s warning level from yellow to orange last week in preparation for an eruption in the coming days or weeks

The government raised the volcano’s warning level from yellow to orange last week in preparation for an eruption in the coming days or weeks.

“We support the decision of local committees to evacuate some people,” Luis Fernando Velasco, interim director of the national disaster unit, said after a meeting with state and local authorities late Monday.

“We will probably have to evacuate even more people in the coming days.”

Caldas governor Luis Carlos Velasquez has asked the national government for 800 million pesos (about $173,800) to strengthen an early warning system, 400 million pesos for machinery and funding for housing evacuees, the government said in a statement on Monday.