Southern Chile's Calbuco volcano had been quiet for more than 42 years, until yesterday, when it erupted, forcing a town of about 1,500 people and two other nearby communities to evacuate. Photos of the event quickly emerged, and now a harrowing time-lapse video showing the eruption has surfaced.
The Calbuco volcano, located in southern Chile, had not erupted in more than 42 years according to the @AP pic.twitter.com/Rk6lwZx4MR
— NYT Science (@NYTScience) April 22, 2015
BREAKING: Chile declares red alert after Calbuco volcano erupts. pic.twitter.com/KP83LiHbRW
— Breaking News (@NewsOnTheMin) April 22, 2015
Despite the massive amounts of ash dumped in the area, there was no hot lava or rocks, and no reported injuries. (The volcano isn't in a densely populated area.) Still, authorities in the country barred access to areas near the volcano, shut down schools, and canceled flights.
Of Chile's 90 volcanoes, the 6,500-foot Calbuco is one of the most active, although researchers were apparently caught off guard by the eruption — the volcano wasn't under any special observation, according to The New York Times. But someone was close enough to capture the nearly atomic video you see here.
★★★
NASA ISS: A time lapse of Earth from the International Space Station