Llaima bulletins from SERNAGEOMIN and ONEMI

The Chilean geological service SERNAGEOMIN has so far issued four bulletins about the current eruption at Llaima volcano. The first (4 April 2009) you can find translated here. The subsequent bulletins are summarized below.

(1) 6 April 2009

Overflight carried out on 4 April 2009 at 14:00. The image shows pyroclastic projections, dense emissions of gas and ash, and lava flows on the west flank.

• Plume of dark grey ash towards the east.
• Strombolian eruption continues.
• Lahar reported in the Captrén river valley, cutting the road between Curacautín and the Conguillío National Park.
• Lava continues to flow in a north-east direction, with thick ashfall and scoria deposits in the Lago Verde area [~8 km E of the volcano].
• Tremor energy maintained, RSAM ranging between 1400 and 1050 units.

(2) 6 April 2009, 15:00

• Eruption continues unchanged. Continuous explosions audible in Melipeuco.
• Lahars reported in the Captrén valley; course of the river has altered; road between Curacautín and the Conguillío National Park is cut.
• Ashfall has continued to affect principally the area east of the volcano (Trufultruful area).
• Seismic activity has remained constant with energetic tremor varying between 950 and 1300 units RSAM.

(3) 7 April 2009

• Between 18:00 and 19:00 the ash plume became of a lighter brown colour with abundant water vapour, but loud explosions were heard during the same period with, subsequently, an increase in ash emission.
• At 18:45 there was fall of coarse ash and fine lapilli (up to 1.5 cm diameter) E of the volcano.
• There has been flooding in the eastern valley of the Captrén river; the Curacautín-Conguillío National Park road remains cut.
• The seismic stations continue to register only tremor energy, which has varied between 900 and 1600 RSAM units, with the largest increase between 14:00 and 15:00 and the lowest values coinciding with the decrease in the quantity of ash in the plume, between 18:00 and 19:00.
• A change in wind direction at height from the SW to the NE means an ashfall alert for the Sierra Nevada valley and Longuimay.
• New lahars and/or floods may occur in the Captrén and Calbuco rivers.
• SERNAGEOMIN maintains Volcanic Red Alert.

The state emergencies office ONEMI noted in its report of 5 April 2009 that 83 people had at that time been evacuated from areas around Llaima. An Interior Ministry sub-minister made reassuring statements yesterday about the government’s response to the eruption, which can be found in an ONEMI bulletin of 6 April 2009. Also on 6 April the Ministry of Agriculture declared an emergency for areas around the volcano which have been affected by, or are threatened by, ashfall and contamination of soil and water.

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

Information
Global Volcanism Program: Llaima – summary information for Llaima (1507-11=)
Oficina Nacional de Emergencia – Chilean government emergencies office
SERNAGEOMIN – Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, Chile
Proyecto Observación Visual Volcán Llaima – Llaima Visual Observation Project