Southern Colombian authorities have issued red alert and started evacuation of more than 8,000 people living near the Galeras volcano, which erupted on Wednesday, the Caracol radio reported on Thursday.

Colombian seismologists warn that a second explosion of the volcano, considered the most active in the country, is imminent.

The seismic event began on Tuesday, with an earthquake of 4.6 on the Richter scale registered close to the top of the 4,276-meter volcano, followed by some 400 aftershocks of varying intensity. The volcano erupted on Wednesday and now emits plumes of smoke and ash.

Local residents, however, have been reluctant to evacuate amid fears of looting and only about 300 agreed to be relocated to a safe area, the Colombia Reports web portal said.

National police chief Oscar Naranjo told the El Tiempo newspaper that some 400 mounted police will be sent to the area to assist in evacuation.

Galeras, one of the country's 15 active volcanoes, is located some 700 km southwest of the capital Bogota.

The volcano's previous eruption, which took place on January 2, did not cause any deaths or injuries, but lava flows running down the sides of the volcano sparked forest fires. Last year it erupted three times.

The most recent fatal eruption took place in 1993, when six scientists and three tourists were killed.

BUENOS AIRES, August 26 (RIA Novosti)