Pressure Builds Inside Chile's Llaima Volcano

Llaima is the second Chilean volcano to erupt in the southern Andes during the past year.

One of South America’s most active volcanoes belched lava and shot a huge cloud of ash that soared 4 miles over the Chilean Andes over the weekend. Winds aloft blew the ash eastward into neighboring Argentina.

The eruption of Llaima volcano prompted the evacuation of more than 100 people living along the nearby Calbuco River and other streams, which were swollen with a mixture of melted snow and ash.

The 10,312-foot Llaima is 435 miles south of the Chilean capital of Santiago, and just west of the Argentina border.

Located in a scenic lake region, Llaima erupted violently on New Year’s Day 2008. It has since occasionally spewed ash and rock.

Vulcanologists warned that the volcano’s crater has become blocked with debris that could allow pressure to build up and trigger violent explosions of lava and ash.

Chile’s other troublesome volcano, Chaitén, prompted a second round of evacuations 300 miles farther south in February when it threatened to devastate the area with searing clouds of debris. It roared to life last May for the first time in at least 9,000 years.

Photo: National Mining and Geology Service (Chile)