The Disastrous Effects of Calbuco Eruption
Chile is well-known for its diverse range of climates, beautiful landscapes, and stunning topography. At the same time, Chile is also like a ticking time bomb, resting on an area known to be highly seismic and volcanic. Recently, a 2,000m (6,572ft) volcano that has been lying dormant since a minor eruption in 1972 known as Calbuco, interrupted its calm demeanor, peaceful waterfalls, and gentle forests with several eruptions in just the past week.
Calbuco is known as a very explosive andesite volcano whose lavas usually contain 55 to 60% silicon dioxide (SiO2). In just these recent eruptions from the past week, the Ministry of Interior and Public Safety reports that about 23½ inches (60 centimeters) of ash fell in some places, forcing more than 6,000 residents of nearby towns within a 20km radius to evacuate.
Popular tourist destinations Puerto Montt and Puerto Varas in southern Chile are now under a red alert due to the active volcano, prompting visitors to cut their stays short and head back home to safety. The eruption caused airline flight cancellations to Chile as well as Argentina and Uruguay.
A nearby town resident was shocked at the eruption, "It was impressive to see an enormous mushroom cloud, with the immense force of the volcano, and to see the ashes. At that point, there was a lot of panic, lots of chaos, traffic jams, people going to supermarkets, everyone looking for water, trying to take out money from the ATMs."
Image: AFP/Scanpix
The result is a grey desert of ash weighing 210 million cubic metres (7,420 million cubic feet) threatening the homes, livestock, and livelihoods of nearby residents. "Wherever you look all you see is grey dust; there is an average of 50cm (20in) of it over the towns and on all the roofs," he told the Associated Press news agency. Roofs collapse, and the life’s work of many nearby residents are buried in soot.
Often, a major eruption can trigger lightning as was seen during the second event which occurred during the nighttime hours. The pyroclastic plume also glowed orange and red at sunset with an anvil top capped at the top of the troposphere.
All in all, the eruption is both beautiful and terrifying, and experts are trying to come up with a timeline to guess when the eruptions will end. For now, expect travel delays in the area and pictures to continue pouring in!