Dozens of Chilean residents abandoned their houses Wednesday in
towns close to Llaima volcano in southern Chile as it continued to
emit lava and ash.
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The Llaima volcano
spews smoke and lava, some 850 km (528 miles) south of Santiago
Jan. 2, 2008. The Llaima volcano in southern Chile erupted on
Tuesday, sending up a huge plume of smoke and coating the
surrounding wilderness park with ash, but there were no reports of
damages or injuries, emergency officials said.
The volcano at least erupted 60 times from Tuesday to Wednesday,
while there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage,
officials said.
President Michelle Bachelet Wednesday praised the response of
officials and emergency organizations to the volcano eruption.
"From the first moment, the Interior Ministry as well as
regional officials have made necessary decisions," he said.
The 3,125-meter Llaima volcano, locating some 650 kilometers
south of the Chilean capital Santiago, started erupting on Tuesday
afternoon.
The Argentine towns of Zapala, Los Catutos and Mariano Moreno in
neighboring regions of the volcano are now under preventive
alert.
Argentine officials have asked some 50,000 inhabitants of the
towns to stay indoors and avoid outdoor activities.
Llaima is one of Chile's most active volcanoes. Chile, after
Indonesia, has the world's second biggest and second most active
chain of volcanoes.
Locals gather in a
street of Melipeuco, the most nearby town to the Llaima volcano (C
bottom), some 850 km south of Santiago Jan. 2, 2008. Rescue workers
evacuated 54 tourists and staff from a Chilean wilderness park on
Wednesday after one of the country's largest volcanoes erupted,
spewing ash and molten lava.
(Xinhua News Agency January 3, 2008)
