The last official eruption of the Galeras Volcano in Colombia was reported in 2010.
The back-to-back volcanic earthquakes have placed local authorities in the nearby city of Pasto, capital of Narino Province, on high alert.
"We have activated all of the protocols ...to attend to the emergency," Narino Governor Camilo Romero said on Twitter.
The two people died when their house was crushed by falling rocks.
According to the Colombian Geological Service, the first quake occurred at 4:35 a.m. local time (about 0935 GMT) and registered 4.5 on the Richter scale. With an epicenter just 30 km deep, the seismic waves were strongly felt in various regions around the volcano.
A minute later, a second quake measuring magnitude-4.3 hit, with the epicenter at a depth of 30 km. Several mild aftershocks have followed.
Officials suspended classes in local schools as a precaution.
Galeras is Colombia's most active volcano. Its last eruption was in January 2010, when some 8,000 people were evacuated.
Comment: Scientists predicted increased activity this year and it would appear from looking at the list below, which details just some of those currently active, that this does seem to be the case:
- Indonesia's Mount Merapi explodes in biggest eruption this year, red alert issued with flight warnings
- Series of stronger eruptions at Stromboli volcano in Italy
- Yellowstone's Steamboat Geyser has now erupted eight times in less than three months intriguing scientists
- Magma plume stretching all the way from Mexico found beneath Yellowstone supervolcano
- 'Red notice' issued to airlines as Sinabung volcano eruption shoots ash 16,000ft in Indonesia (VIDEOS)
- Russia's Hephaestus mud volcano erupts chucking muck hundreds of meters (VIDEO)
- NASA study finds volcanic magma plume under Antarctica may explain ice sheet instability
- Magma plume stretching all the way from Mexico found beneath Yellowstone supervolcano
- Methane outgassing produces eerie blue flames near Hawaii's Kilauea volcano
- Experts scramble to keep an eye on long-dormant volcano in Iceland
- First pyroclastic flow recorded from Shinmoedake volcano eruption in Japan
Also check out SOTT's monthly documentary: SOTT Earth Changes Summary - May 2018: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs