Llaima

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Llaima
The snowy cone of Llaima volcano
Elevation	3,125 metres (10,253 ft)
Location	Melipeuco and Vilcún, Cautín Province, Araucanía Region, Chile
Range	Andes
Coordinates	38°41′30″S 71°43′43″W / -38.69167, -71.72861Coordinates: 38°41′30″S 71°43′43″W / -38.69167, -71.72861
Type	Stratovolcano
Last eruption	January 1, 2008

Some Chilean Volcanoes

Llaima Volcano is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Chile. It is situated 82 km northeast of Temuco and 663 km southeast of Santiago, within the borders of Conguillío National Park. Llaima’s activity has been documented since the 17th century, and consists of several separate episodes of moderate explosive eruptions with occasional lava flows.

The volcano, along with Sierra Nevada, surrounds the Conguillío Lake.

Its slopes are drained by the rivers Captrén, Quepe and Trufultruful.^[1] The former ones are tributaries of Cautín River and the latter is affluent of Allipén River.

The average elevation of the terrain around Llaima is about 740 m asl.^[1]

1 Name
2 Subsidiary peaks
3 Recreation
4 Eruptions
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Name

Llaima is a Mapuche word meaning "Blood vain". The volcano also has been called Chañel, a Mapuche name that is related with its finger shape. During the Spanish rule, it was named Imperial, because of its location close to the city of Carahue, then called La Imperial.^[1]

[edit] Subsidiary peaks

The top of Llaima consists of two summits, the lower of the two is named Pichillaima, is about 2,920 m (9,580 ft) high and is meaningfully less prominent than the other, northern summit.^[1]

[edit] Recreation

The ski center Las Araucarias lies on the volcano's western slopes.

[edit] Eruptions

Llaima is one of Chile's most active volcanoes and has frequent but moderate eruptions. The last major eruption occurred in 1994.^[2]

An eruption on January 1, 2008 forced the evacuation of hundreds of people from nearby villages. A column of smoke approximately 3000 m high was observed. An amateur caught the early eruption phase on video. The volcanic ash expelled by Llaima travelled east over the Andes into Argentina. Ash fall was recorded in the area of Zapala, Neuquén Province, and forced the cancellation of flights to and from Presidente Perón Airport near the city of Neuquén. ^[3]

2008 Llaima eruption	2008 Llaima eruption	2008 Llaima eruption, seen from Villarrica, south of the volcano	2008 Llaima eruption, seen from Villarrica, south of the volcano
Llaima volcano, several days after the 2008 eruption, seen from the Villarrica volcano