Chilean authorities worried about mudslides as rain hits volcano zone

Ash from Chilean volcano covers fields, towns

The Calbuco volcano, which had been dormant for 42 years, erupted Wednesday. Winds blew ash in a widening arc across the Andes. Cars and streets were coated with a layer of ash in Villa la Angostura, Argentina, a small town about 56 miles  to the northeast.

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – Authorities in southern Chile say rain over the weekend could cause problems related to the Calbuco volcano's eruptions over the last week.

Chile's weather service said Friday that up to a half inch (15 millimeters) of rain is expected to fall on the area, raising the possibility of mudslides.

About 6,600 people living near the volcano remain evacuated after Calbuco erupted Thursday. The volcano, about 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) south of Santiago, erupted twice last week, sending heavy ash and smoke into the sky that coated several cities and caused the cancelations of many flights in Chile and neighboring Argentina.

Thursday's eruption was smaller, but the National Geology and Mineral Service warns that more eruptions are possible and says the volcano could be spewing some ash and smoke for months.

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