The Chaiten volcano erupted violently on a morning on 2 May,2008.For one hundred years,this eruption is known as the first major explosive eruption rhyolite magma volcano since the eruption of Novarupta. It happened at the Northeast Chaiten town in the Gulf of Corcovadi which is in the Southern Chile.
Simplified plate tectonics cross-section on the right showing how Chaitén is located above a subduction zone formed where the Nazca and South American plates collide. In this subduction zone melting produces magma bodies that rise towards the surface.
The volcano eruption also caused earthquakes up to magnitude 3.6 Mw below the Chaitén volcano!
The volcano eruption caused a lot damages and impact. On the 4th November,a mixture of material ejected from the volcano,combined with heavy rainfall,and melting snow,cause a lahar which raced down rio Blanco and flooded 30 houses in town. Forest near to the volcano is also burned by pyroclastic flows and lateral explosions. The eruption also caused small earthquakes.In addition, volcanic ash from the eruption clouds has caused ground transportation and health problems in Chile and Argentina.
The Goverment began an evacuation of nearby town of Chaiten,which has a population of 4200 people. The Goverment has also taken some defensive work and has decided to reconstruct the town 10km North. The Goverment recently decided it will not rebuild the town on its current location as the activity of the volcanoes continues,it makes the place simply too dangerous for settlement.
In order to minimize damage from volcano eruptions, I think that we should be calm in a volcano eruption. The reason is that so we can think properly,instead of panicking.However,We should always have a family emergency kit and follow the instructons of authorities in the middle of a volcano eruption. As long as we follow the right procedures,I am sure that we can minimize the damage and survive the volcano eruption.
