3,000 People Evacuated After Volcano Erupts in Southern Chile

A volcano in southern Chile began erupting early today forcing the evacuation of some 3,000 people in nearby villages, the government said.

The Villarrica volcano, one of Chile's most active, began erupting around 3:00 am (0600 GMT), prompting authorities to declare a red alert and cancel classes in schools, the National Emergency Office said.

As sirens sounded, Chilean TV footage showed lava spilling from the volcano about 800 km (500 miles) south of the capital Santiago.

But hours later it seemed to have calmed down, with no visible signs of eruption. Still, President Michelle Bachelet appealed for calm and authorities blocked roads leading to the area around the volcano, which is about 2,800 meters high.