Other ITA web sites:
Villarrica volcano, Chile
Snow-covered Villarrica, one of Chile's most active volcanoes, rises above the resort town of Pucon below its northern flank.
A faint steam plume drifts from an active lava lake in the summit crater.
The steep 2847-m-high summit cone was constructed within a mostly buried, 2-km-wide caldera whose dissected outer flanks rise above the tree line. Villarrica is the westernmost of three large stratovolcanoes that trend perpendicular to the Andean chain.
Historical eruptions have been documented since 1558 AD.
Glacier-clad Villarrica, one of Chile's most active volcanoes, rises above the lake and town of the same name.
It is the westernmost of three large stratovolcanoes that trend perpendicular to the Andean chain.
A 6-km wide caldera formed during the late Pleistocene. A 2-km-wide caldera that formed about 3500 years ago is located at the base of the presently active, dominantly basaltic to basaltic-andesitic cone at the NW margin of the Pleistocene caldera.
More than 30 scoria cones and fissure vents dot Villarrica's flanks.
Plinian eruptions and pyroclastic flows that have extended up to 20 km from the volcano have been produced during the Holocene.
Lava flows up to 18 km long have issued from summit and flank vents.
Historical eruptions, documented since 1558, have consisted largely of mild-to-moderate explosive activity with occasional lava effusion. Glaciers cover 40 sq km of the volcano, and lahars have damaged towns on its flanks.
On 2 March 2015 Villarica volcano erupted overnight with a spectacular column of lava, ash and rock 3 km into the sky.
The eruption prompted the evacuation of over 3000 people from nearby villages.
The above image is a closeup of the eruption of 2 March 2015. Previously, the volcano erupted in 2000.
Villarica is the most active volcano in Chile.
The slopes of Villarrica after the March 3 2015 eruption, with dark grey volcanic tephra, along with mudflows produced by lava fountaining and flows.
The volcano is located near the popular tourist resort of Pucon around 750 km south of the capital Santiago.
Villarica volcano shown over the synonymous lake with a tourist hotel on its shores.
Villarrica National Park in the Los Rios region of Chile is a scenic area of lakes, temperate rainforest and volcanoes that is one of Chile�s top tourist attractions.
In the summer months, tourists climb Villarica's slopes to peer inside the volcanic crater.
PHOTO SOURCE: Photo by Lee Siebert, 2004 (Smithsonian Institution), courtesy of the Global Volcanism Program, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, used with permission,
Carabineros de Chile, Araucania de todos and Wikimedia Commons.
NOTE: The information regarding Volcano on this page is re-published from other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Volcano information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Volcano photos should be addressed to the copyright owner noted below the photo.