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Chile volcano Villarrica eruption spews ash and lava
Topic Started: 4 Mar 2015, 12:30 AM (80 Views)
skibboy
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3 March 2015

Chile volcano Villarrica eruption spews ash and lava

The Villarrica volcano in southern Chile erupted in the early hours of Tuesday morning, spewing ash and lava up to 1,000m (3,300ft) into the air.

More than 3,000 people have been evacuated from the volcano's vicinity.

The mayor of the nearby town of Pucon said residents had left "calmly".

President Michelle Bachelet said she would travel to the area on Tuesday to assess the situation.

The 2840m-high Villarrica is an active volcano with a lava lake in its crater.

It is a popular destination for hikers.

Hundreds climb the peak each summer to peer inside the crater.

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The eruption happened at 03:00 local time (06:00GMT)

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The plume of ash reached a height of 1,000m

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The night-time eruption illuminated the sky around the volcano

According to Chile's Ministry of Mining, its last major eruption was in 1985.

More than 100 people are thought to have died in mudflows on the slopes of the volcano during the 20th Century.

Chilean police said the towns of Pucon and Conaripe had been evacuated as a precaution.

Pucon Mayor Carlos Parra said that after 20 minutes, the volcano's activity seemed to have calmed down again.

"There's no ash, no lava flow, the volcano is totally passive at the moment," he said.

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skibboy
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06 March 2015

Red alert lifted for Chilean volcano

Posted Image
© AFP/File | A view of the Villarrica volcano, seen from Pucon, Chile, showing no visible signs of activity on March 5, 2015

SANTIAGO (AFP) - Authorities Friday lifted a red alert for the area surrounding a southern Chile volcano, whose brief but fiery eruption forced the evacuation of thousands of people amid a shower of fire and ash earlier in the week.

In its first major eruption in 15 years, the Villarrica volcano burst into action early Tuesday morning, prompting Chilean authorities to declare the alert.

But on Friday they announced they had reduced the alert level to orange, while maintaining a five-kilometer (three-mile) exclusion zone around the volcano.

Volcanic activity has "entered a downturn," the National Emergency Office said.

The volcano forced the evacuation of more than 3,000 people from nearby towns as bright yellow-orange lava spewed and a column of ash rose as high as three kilometers. But the eruption was brief, ending after a few hours.

Villarrica is considered one of the most active volcanoes in South America, and draws crowds of tourists each year, with hikers climbing its slopes in the summer months to peer inside its crater, which rises 2,800 meters (9,200 feet).

Its last major eruptions were in 1984 and 2000.

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