The exact moment of the Calbuco Volcano eruption captured by a currently anonymous hiker in Chile. The volcano erupted on April 22, 2015, for the first time in four decades (the last eruption was in 1972).
The eruption lasted 90 minutes and sent a plume of volcanic ash 10 km into the sky. A flow of lava was reported into Chapo Lake on the same day. The eruption caused airline flight cancellations to Chile as well as Argentina and Uruguay. Authorities evacuated 4000 people from a zone with a 20 km radius from the volcano.
This was Calbuco’s first activity since 1972. The eruption happened with little warning on April 22-23, 2015, followed by a smaller eruption on April 30. The eruption sent a large ash column into the atmosphere.
With an elevation of 2,015 meters (6,611 feet) above sea level, the volcano and the surrounding area are protected within the Llanquihue National Reserve of Chile.
- Calbuco (volcano) on Wikipedia