Thousands evacuate after Chile volcano Chaiten erupts

2008-05-07

BEIJING, May 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Chile's long-dormant Chaiten volcano spewed clouds of gray smoke, hot rocks and toxic gas on Tuesday, forcing authorities to order the complete evacuation of two nearby towns, media reports said.

More than 4,000 people left the town of Chaiten, 10 kilometers (six miles) from the volcano, after the initial eruption. Several hundred are still waiting to leave. Futaleufu, 70 kilometers (44 miles) to the east, is also being evacuated.

The volcano's column of smoke and ash stretched more than 19 kilometers (12 miles) into the sky on Monday, Chile's National Geology and Mineral Service reported, and it extended well into neighboring Argentina and to the Atlantic Ocean. the rest/image