Your Daily Chaiten Report
nnA bit busy today, so to borrow from the newest USGS/SI Volcanism Report:n
On 12 May, the plume rose to an altitude of 8 km (26,200 ft) a.s.l.nDuring an overflight conducted by SERNAGEOMIN, four more plumes of ansimilar altitude were generated by explosions and drifted NE. Severalnhectares of burned vegetation, likely from pyroclastic flows ornlateral explosions, were noted on the N flank of the dome. Smallnpyroclastic flows may also have been responsible for completely burnednforest to areas in the NE, and on the W and NW dome flanks. A laharncaused the banks of the Chaitén River to overflow about 200 m on eachnside, damaging about 40 houses and numerous cars that were partiallynor fully submerged. During an overflight on 13 May, evidence ofnpyroclastic flows on the N flank was observed. An ash-and-gas plumenemitted from the lava dome drifted NE. The Alert Level remained atnRed.
nSounds like material is spilling out of the caldera and we have proof of both pyroclastic flows and lahars. Could be awhile before we get any reports beyond these SERNAGEOMIN flyovers, but they do seem to indicate that they’re won’t be much left near the vents when all is said and done.
