Chilean military vehicles were en route today to rescue 53 people trapped in a wilderness park after one of the country's largest volcanoes erupted, spewing ash and molten lava.
There were no reports of injuries or damage, but dozens of tourists were evacuated from the base of the volcano and a group of 53 people was stranded after a local river swelled with meltwater and cut off road access.
Their escape was cut off when roads were flooded by a local river that swelled with meltwater following the eruption of the snowy volcano.
The Llaima volcano in southern Chile erupted yesterday, sending a column of smoke and ash into the air and spewing lava down the east side of the mountain.
The Conguillio National Park was closed off to visitors and authorities asked curious tourists not to get too close. The 3,125-metre Llaima volcano is one of the country's most active and is in the Araucania region in southern Chile. It has frequent moderate eruptions.