..Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes after a volcano which has been dormant for decades erupted in south-central Chile.
The explosion resulted in a gas column more than six miles (10km) high.
The ash cloud is being blown towards neighbouring Argentina and the border crossing between the two countries has been closed.
Chile's government said it 3,500 people from the surrounding area were being taken away from the area as a precaution.
Officials said the volcano was spitting molten rock, but there was no visible lava flow.
Local media said the smell of sulphur hung in the air and there was constant seismic activity.
Energy and mining minister Laurence Golborne said: "We have declared a red alert for the area and we have mapped risk areas and established potential situations we could deal with."
It is not yet clear which of the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcanic chain's four volcanoes has erupted, because of the heavy ash cloud.
The chain last saw a major eruption in 1960.
Chile has a chain of 2,000 volcanoes, the second highest amount after Indonesia, 500 of which are potentially active.
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http://uk.news.yahoo.com/dormant-chilean-volcano-billows-ash-022418566.html
The explosion resulted in a gas column more than six miles (10km) high.
The ash cloud is being blown towards neighbouring Argentina and the border crossing between the two countries has been closed.
Chile's government said it 3,500 people from the surrounding area were being taken away from the area as a precaution.
Officials said the volcano was spitting molten rock, but there was no visible lava flow.
Local media said the smell of sulphur hung in the air and there was constant seismic activity.
Energy and mining minister Laurence Golborne said: "We have declared a red alert for the area and we have mapped risk areas and established potential situations we could deal with."
It is not yet clear which of the Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcanic chain's four volcanoes has erupted, because of the heavy ash cloud.
The chain last saw a major eruption in 1960.
Chile has a chain of 2,000 volcanoes, the second highest amount after Indonesia, 500 of which are potentially active.
...
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/dormant-chilean-volcano-billows-ash-022418566.html
