One of the Earth’s deadliest––albeit, most beautiful––phenomena is a volcanic eruption. Funny how we can be repelled and fascinated by something at the same time. Come anywhere near an erupting volcano and you’d end up barbecued, which is pretty scary stuff––although it’s one of my biggest dreams to capture a photograph of the lava slowly moving down the volcano.
Recently, one of the most covered subjects in the news was the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption. Puyehue-Cordón Caulle is a volcanic complex located in Chile and erupted last June 4. It is, perhaps, most famous for its last eruption over fifty decades ago, just days following the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, which is one of the biggest earthquakes ever recorded in the history of mankind.
Ash clouds reached cities Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Hobart, Bariloche, Perth, Adelaide, Alegre, Melbourne, and Auckland, forcing airlines to cancel hundreds of flights––both domestic and international.
What Happened?
On April 27, the Southern Andean Volcano Observatory of Servecio Nacional de Geología y Minería de Chile (SERNAGEOMIN) announced increasing levels of seismic vibrations at the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle and set the alert at Level 3, Yellow.
Between June 2 and 3, ODVAS announced that over a thousand earthquakes were detected at the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle, on an average of about 60 earthquakes in an hour. Scientists and the authorities checked the volcano and found no significant changes, but the alert stayed at 3, yellow.
Then, on June 4, about 11:30, the eruption began. Within six hours, there was a reported average of 230 earthquakes per hour––an estimated 12 of those earthquakes were had magnitudes greater than 4.
The National Emergencies’ Office (ONEMI) announced a red alert for the following regions (which are close to the volcano): Lago Ranco, Rio Bueno, Puyehue, and Futrono. 600 people were evacuated in those areas. Later, the red alert covered additional areas in the Los Rios region (including: Boqueal, Chanco, Contrafuerte, Epulafquén, El Zapallo, Futangue, Las Quemas, Licán, Los Venados, Mantilhue, Pichico, Pitreño, Pocura, Ranquil, Riñinahue Alto, Rucatayo, and Trahuico) and in the Los Lagos region (including: El Retiro, Anticura, El Caulle, Forestal Comaco, and Anticura Pajaritos). The number of evacuees increased to at least 3000 people. Evacuees were sent to temporary shelters in safe areas, according to Chilean authorities, and there were no reports of any kinds of injuries or deaths relating the eruption. The evacuees were allowed to return to their homes on the 19th of June.
What Happened Next?
Following the eruption, heavy ash clouds traveled as far as Argentina, Uruguay, and New Zealand.
Argentina was declared a state of calamity––Chubut and Rio Negro had previously been suffering a 5-year drought, and the ash ruined the little pastureland available. The country’s agriculture took a great hit. 2 million heads of sheep in Argentina were at huge risk, as were the 60,000 head of cattle, said Rio Negro officials.
The ash cloud also wreaked major havoc to many airlines. Ash is, apparently, a huge threat to planes and might cause engine failure when transformed into molten lass by high temperatures. The ash clouds forced airlines in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia to cancel over hundreds of flights––both domestic and international.
Air New Zealand managed to elude cancellations by flying their crafts at lower altitudes, although it needed 10 percent more fuel––they cancelled flights beginning June 15. Virgin Australia, Qantas, and Jetstar resumed flights by June 13, 14, and 15, respectively. Flights were cancelled once again at airports in Adelaide and Mildura. On the 21st and the 22nd, flights to Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Newcastle, Wagga Wagga, and Albury were also cancelled.
The Chilean volcanic ash had cost Australia––analysts estimate the Australian tourism and aviation industries lose at least 10 million dollars a day. “All they’re going to save by not flying is the fuel, the payments for air traffic fees, some airport charges,” said aviation analyst Neil Hansford. “But they can only get rid of up to 20 per cent of their costs; 80 per cent of their costs sit there whether they fly or not … The industry could be losing in excess of Aus million (US million) a day.”
The chain of events unloaded by the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle eruption is amazing, hurting many countries, especially Australia, which is, to quote Head of the Tourism and Transport forum John Lee said, under “a constant shock syndrome happening in the tourism industry at the moment.”
References:
· Channel News Asia. (June 22 2011). Ash clouds black Aussie tourism woes. Available: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/1136524/1/.html. Last accessed June 25 2011.
· Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2011). Puyehue-Cordon Caulle. Available:
·http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puyehue-Cordón_Caulle. Last accessed June 30 2011.
· Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2011). 2011 Puyehue-Cordon Caulle. Available:
·http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puyehue-Cordón_Caulle. Last accessed June 30 2011.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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