Volcano in Chile erupts twice in just 7 hours
Print Edition
A VOLCANO in Chile that had been inactive for more than 50 years suddenly erupted twice in the space of hours, blasting huge clouds of ash into the air and forcing the evacuation of about 5,000 people.
There were no immediate reports of injuries after the eruptions from the Calbuco volcano in southern Chile on Wednesday evening and then again seven hours later, early yesterday.
A state of emergency was declared after the first eruption, and air traffic was disrupted.
Chilean TV aired spectacular footage of ash, bright orange flames and flaming rocks belching from the mouth of the volcano.
The first eruption spewed a giant mushroom of ash 10 kilometers into the sky. Ash reached neighboring Argentina, where officials started taking emergency measures.
Calbuco had been dormant for 54 years, officials said.
Officials ordered an evacuation for a 20km radius around the volcano and the interior ministry rushed in the army to temporarily take control of the province of Llanquihue and the town of Puerto Octay.
The National Geology and Mining Service said a third eruption was likely over the next few hours.
The first eruption lasted nearly 90 minutes, volcanologist Gabriel Orozco of the geology service said.
On a zero-to-eight scale of volcano strength, the eruptions came in at four or five, Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
