Mount Villarrica (Photo : Reuters)
Thousands of people have been evacuated after one of the most active volcanoes in Chile started spewing out lava and ash early Tuesday morning.
The Villarrica volcano is located in southern Chile and the country's Ministry of Mining recorded the volcano's last major eruption on 1985. Since then, only minor and smaller eruptions were recorded.
Reports confirmed that more than 3,000 people were evacuated away from the volcano's danger zone. The residents were forewarned about the situation and left the area calmly. Chilean authorities have already cordoned the area and restrict people from going into the danger zone.
Two towns were affected by the eruption, the town of Pucon and Conaripe. Pucon Mayon Carlo Parra said that the volcano erupted violently and then calm down after 20 minutes. He added, "There's no ash, no lava flow, the volcano is totally passive at the moment."
Reports said that the eruption started around three in the morning local time. Local TV footages showed lava coming out of the volcano's crater as well as lumps of lava that rained down the slopes during the peak of the eruption, according to Wired.
The volcano's eruption was totally predicted due to its increased unrest and instability in the past weeks.
Chile's president Michelle Bachelet has also confirmed that she will visit the area on Tuesday in order to personally assess the situation, according to BBC News.
The Villarrica stands at 2840 meters and has a crater full of lava. This scenic view attracts hundreds of hikers that climb the peak in order to peer into its crater. Additionally, four webcams were pointed right into the slope of the Villarrica in order to constantly track its activity.
