Several towns covered in ash following Calbuco volcano eruption

onnaedo

April 24, 2015 1:30 PM

Reports say residents and emergency workers in southern Chile have been clearing ash in the aftermath of the eruption.

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Several towns in Chile and neighboring country, Argentina have been coated in ash, following the Calbuco volcanic eruption which happened on Wednesday.

Prior to Wednesday's eruption, the Calbuco volcano had been dormant for four decades. The eventual eruption on Wednesday led people living within a 21km radius to be evacuated.

BBC reports that road workers used lorries to plough through the ash, which were up to 3ft deep in some places. Protective masks were handed out to residents in wide parts of Chile and Argentina owing to the massive ash cloud.

The first eruption on Wednesday evening lasted about 90 minutes, then 7 hours later the volcano erupted again, this time shooting lava into the air and generating volcanic lightning.

There were however no casualties recorded.

onnaedo