Chile Forum

See latest status - this thread runs through the history of the eruptions and the effects.


ADMIN NOTE: UPGRADED TO CONFIRMED ACTIVE ALERT, and TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR THE ROAD FROM OSORNO EAST TO ARGENTINA.

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SCROLL DOWN FOR LATEST REPORTS ON ERUPTION, EVACUATION, FRONTIER PASS CLOSURE and eventual reopening of the pass


Just reflecting what is being said in the local reports. Admin may have felt the recent tremors. Anyone in that region (Los Ríos) may be interested in closely following emerging effects. Local authorities have only given early-warning alerts, not notice of an actual eruption or imminent eruption.

As of today 4 June 2011 there is currently an ONEMI yellow-alert for possible volcanic eruption hazard for the comuna of Puyehue, including Futrono, Lago Ranco and Río Bueno.

La Oficina Nacional de Emergencias (Onemi) de Chile decretó hoy la alerta amarilla (mediana) en tres localidades de la sureña región de Los Ríos tras confirmarse un aumento de la actividad sísmica en las inmediaciones del Complejo Volcánico Puyehue-Cordón Caulle, informó el organismo.

Full text of the ONEMI warning from 2 June here : http://www.onemi.cl/html/noticias/noticia_2474.html

June 4 report: 19 Sismos entre los 2.9 y 4.7 Grados Richter se han producido en las últimas horas en la zona del parque nacional Puyehue.

Definition of yellow alert: Nivel 4 – AMARILLO: Volcán Activo con cambios en el comportamiento de la actividad volcánica II - Tiempo probable para una
erupción: DIAS/SEMANAS.


Lead-up reports = April report:

SERNAGEOMIN INFORMA SOBRE EL VOLCÁN PLANCHÓN
Durante el mes de abril, en el área del volcán Planchón se registraron 405 eventos sísmicos asociados con el fracturamiento de roca (VT), que se distribuyeron, principalmente, en una fuente ubicada a 25 km al noreste del complejo volcánico y en una fuente cercana al flanco norte, ubicada a 6 km, aproximadamente, del cráter activo, con magnitudes (MC) menores que 2,0. Solo dos sismos con magnitudes (MC) menores que 1,0 se localizaron en las cercanías del cráter activo.
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June = current reports

PUERTO MONTT.- La actividad sísmica en el complejo volcánico Puyehue-Cordón Caulle se ha intensificado en lo que va de este sábado, luego del sucesivo registro de temblores en las localidades de Futrono y Río Bueno, en la Región de Los Lagos.

El Servicio Sismológico de la Universidad de Chile consigna la recurrencia de 18 temblores desde la medianoche del viernes, los que si bien no alcanzaron altas magnitudes, han sido percibidos por la población.

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Eruption history:

The Puyehue volcano was believed and thus recorded to be involved in eruptions in 1735, 1790, 1921-22, 1960 and 1990, with the 1921-22 and 1960 eruptions being the most significant. However, more recent studies have shown that those eruptions were in fact due to a fissure in the Cordón del Caulle system rather than the Puyehue system.

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Update



Volcano eruption alert has gone from yellow to RED and initial evacuation of 600 people is being reported due to authorities' prediction of eruption within the next few hours.

Note the temporary closure of the main cordillera pass CL-AR at Cardenal Samoré and alternate routing.

Admin, does this need to be changed to some sort of allchile.net travel alert or advisory of some sort since transport here in the south (Regiones Los Lagos, Los Ríos) is affected?

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According to local media, in the past 6 hours 230 seismic events have been recorded per hour, with 12 showing magnitudes greater than 4.0 (presumably Richter scale).

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As of 14:53 h today El Mercurio/EMOL had not updated news to cover evacuations. Other media:

04 de junio de 2011 • 15:10

El Gobierno chileno decretó hoy la alerta roja debido a la intensa actividad sísmica detectada en el complejo volcánico Puyehue - Cordón Caulle, en el sur del país, y ordenó evacuar a unas 600 personas de cuatro distritos cercanos por el riesgo de que se produzca una erupción.


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Sábado 4 junio 2011 | 12:11

El Serganeomin y la Onemi decretaron alerta roja para la comuna de Puyehue, en la Región de los Lagos, debido a un enjambre sísmico detectado entre el volcán Puyehue y el Cordón Caulle.

El Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería informó que el proceso sísmico en el complejo volcánico indica la posibilidad de una erupción en las próximas horas.

Debido a esto la Onemi decretó Alerta Roja para las comunas de Futrono, Lago Ranco y Río Bueno en la Región de Los Ríos y para la comuna de Puyehue en la Región de Los Lagos.

El vicepresidente Rodrigo Hinzpeter dio a conocer la noticia, señalando que como medidas preventivas se evacuarán los sectores de Pocura, Pichico, Los Venados, Contrafuerte, El Zapallo en la Región de Los Ríos y; El Retiro, Anticura, El Caulle, Forestal Comaco, Anticura Pajaritos en la Región de Los Lagos. Con una población cercana a las 700 personas.

En este contexto la Onemi envió a la Región de Los Ríos tres camiones con elementos de ayuda, consistente en colchonetas, frazadas y generadores.

Además se informó sobre el cierre temporal del paso fronterizo Cardenal Samoré, por lo que se deberá utilizar el paso Pino Achao para el cruce entre Chile y Argentina.

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As of 1430 today, first signs of actual eruption, but so far precise location has not be reported.

Chilean army units being dispatched to accelerate evacuations.

First indications of eruption show that it may be on the Argentine side of the Andes.

Media: El gobernador de Osorno, Rodrigo Kauak, confirmó la información, señalando que ya se han visto las primeras columnas de humo en el complejo volcánico Cordón Caulle.

From Argentina, news reports according to the newspaper Río Negro concerning additional seismic activity with epicentre in the nearby region of Villa La Angostura, close to the trans-Andean pass of Cardinal Samoré. At 0923 this morning a 4.8 [Richter], at 1020 one at 4.7, at 1048 another of the same magnitude, with shocks continuing throughout the day.

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First pictures coming out of eruption . They are calling it the volcan Puyuhue but I am not sure, it's part of a local complex so it might be one of the others in the area.

El Mercurio is hours behind on the reporting on this one.

Video of eruption http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRQ15D6Qd5o

images from various news media here

patagoniax wrote:.
First pictures coming out of eruption . They are calling it the volcan Puyuhue but I am not sure, it's part of a local complex so it might be one of the others in the area.

El Mercurio is hours behind on the reporting on this one.

great reporting, tv is just catching up now!,

Please keep posting,our house is quite near to Puyehue but on lago Ranco.

wow - bravo px

dam, just found out about this when my secretary called me a little while ago. Never felt a thing here.

Well, let's just say my property at the foot of Puyehue is no longer for sale. Guess I will get a chance to test the trout fishing in the national park after all.

I did see a call on my cell phone from a client that is a volcano fanatic this morning and I had not heard from him in a long time. Perhaps he will want to buy it. He was the only client I ever had that specifically request a house with a view of an active volcano.

On a more serious note, yea this is travel warning status. It will most likly effect people traveling around through Argentina via Osorno and Barriloche. It will likly effect people in transit to the greater Patagonia. Inter lagos is being evacuated. Will get back when there is more.

o.k., correction from the local radio.

intra lagos is not being evacuated, and is being used as a safe zone.

We've been keeping an eye on it ever since we first read about the yellow alert - we're supposed to go skiing in Antillanca in September, and yes we had considered having a look at your property Charles - another "when it happens in Chile" type moment for you I guess? Good luck with everything.

A

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El Mercurio is finally catching up with other news sources.

Hinzpeter reports number of persons to be evacuated moves from initial 600 to approximately 3500, and affected evac zone is being expanded.

Argentina is reportedly doing some evacuations from areas near La Angostura and the frontier control area. At this time it appears that the main frontier control station at Puyuhue/Cardinal Samoré will be closed until further notice.

As of 1850 today the Oficina Nacional de Emergencias (Onemi) indicates that the level of alert had gone from 5 to 6, on a level of 8 alert categories, indicating "moderate eruption underway."

The present alert is effect for the comunas of Lago Ranco, Futrono, Río Bueno y Puyehue.

yea, so far it looks like most of the effects are in Argentina (your welcome Argentina), not in Chile. There really are not that many people up on that mountainside because most of it is a national park or agricultural type land, or seasonal tourist type places like the ski resort or the termas.