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Volcano erupts in Chile, 3,000 evacuated
Santiago, March 3
Volcano Villarrica in southern Chile erupted in the early hours of Tuesday, sending ash and lava high into the sky, and forcing the evacuation of nearby communities.
The volcano, located near the popular tourist resort of Pucon around 750 km south of the capital Santiago, is one of South America’s most active. It last erupted in 2000.
Television pictures showed orange lava and ash shooting into the night sky when it erupted, although it looked quieter as dawn broke. Some 3,385 people had been evacuated as a preventative measure, said Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo.
The government held an emergency meeting with the police and military to discuss the situation. Chile has the second largest chain of volcanoes in the world after Indonesia, including around 500 that are potentially active. — Reuters
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