Authorities in Chile have issued a safety alert after a volcano sent an eruption column 6,000 meters (about 20,000 feet) into the sky.
The Lascar volcano, which sits in the Andes, erupted on Saturday, causing minor tremors.
No damage has yet been reported in the surrounding area, but the initial green warning was downgraded to yellow.
Chile’s National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin) defines “yellow” as meaning the volcano is unstable.
The classification also means experts are monitoring the site for minor explosions and the appearance of smoke, according to Sernageomin.
Residents of Talabri, Antofagasta, a small town less than 12 kilometers (7 miles) from the volcano, first noticed some activity around noon.
Despite the large plume of smoke that Lasker emitted – consisting of volcanic ash and hot gases – no homes are believed to have been damaged. Authorities have established a no-entry zone 5 kilometers from the crater.
Lascar, in the north of the country, 70 km from San Pedro de Atacama, is a popular tourist destination for trekking and visiting the Atacama Desert, the driest place on Earth.
