▲ Pillar of fire observed at the top of Villarrica Volcano on the 1st (local time)
Authorities are nervous after observing signs of an explosion along with a plume of fire at a volcano in Chile.
According to Chilean media such as AFP and Latercera on the 5th (local time), an earthquake, a gas explosion and a pillar of fire have been observed since October at the Villarrica volcano, which spans the central Araucania and Los Rios states.
The column of fire soared to a height of up to 220 meters, Chilean authorities said.
The snow-capped 2,847m-high Villarrica volcanic activity was said to be clear enough for local residents to see it easily.
About 28,000 people live just 15 kilometers from the mountain.
“We cannot predict when the volcano will erupt, but conditions are in place,” said Alvaro Amigo, director of Chile's volcano monitoring network, AFP reported.
(Photo = Reuters, Yonhap News)