Colombian authorities issued a red alert for areas around the Nevado del Ruiz volcano that erupted on Saturday.
Media photos taken of the volcano, which is located around 90 miles west of the capital of Bogota, show it blasting smoke and ash into the sky.
Via Twitter, President Juan Manuel Santos told residents near the volcano to follow an outlined emergency plan under the country’s disaster prevention protocols.
Around 2,300 people near the volcano were forced to evacuate over fears of further eruptions or avalanches, said Colombia Reports, citing local media.
An avalanche triggered by the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz, which stands at more than 17,400 feet tall, killed about 25,000 people in 1985. The avalanche of rocks and mud swept over the town of Armero.
Aviation officials also closed down nearby airports, including in the cities of Manizales, Pereira and Armenia due to plumes of ash and smoke.
Last month, the volcano started spewing ash and gas, while locals said they heard loud noises coming from the mountain’s summit, according to reports at the time.
Following the warning signs, officials handed out around 30,000 face masks to residents in the area to protect them from the ash.
