Chaitén – another large dome collapse

The news from Chile is of another large-scale dome collapse at Chaitén volcano this afternoon. Reports say that a large part of the northern side of the dome collapsed and an intense plume rose from the volcano. The collapse occurred at around 14:47 local time this afternoon (17:47 GMT).

The following images come from the DGAC camera at Chaitén airfield, and run from 14:42 to 15:22 (the camera captures the scene every five minutes).

‘A vast part of the north side of the dome at the summit of the massif collapsed during the afternoon and intense fumaroles ascended from the crater of the volcano’, reports 123 Chile, who apparently think this the beginning of the end: ‘Finally most of the dome of Chaitén volcano began to collapse almost completely this afternoon, after what remained of the north side succumbed this afternoon, around 15:00′. At the time of posting, 17:37 local time, the pinnacle and the southern flanks of the dome complex are still very much in place.

News
Gran desmoronamiento sufre cráter del volcán Chaitén – 123 Chile, 27 February 2009

Information
Global Volcanism Program: Chaitén – summary information for Chaitén (1508-41)
SERNAGEOMIN – Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (Spanish)
Erupción del Volcán Chaitén – extensive coverage of the Chaitén eruption

For all our Chaitén coverage: Chaitén « The Volcanism Blog.