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Surprise eruption, Chile

Issue: July 2008

This article appears on page 18 of the July 2008 issue.

The 3,000-foot Chaiten Volcano, 760 miles south of Santiago, Chile, and considered dormant, began erupting for the first time in 9,000 years on May 2, covering Patagonia with ash. There were no reports of deaths or serious damage, but 7,000 people were evacuated, many to Puerto Montt.

The government has extended a monthly stipend to families hit by the disaster, closed schools and warned against drinking tap water that could be contaminated by ash.

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