Authorities in Chile have ordered the complete evacuation of two towns after a volcano erupting nearby increased its activity, spewing out lava and ash.

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A plume of ash from the volcano caused disruption as far away as Argentina.

Chile is one of the most volcanic countries on Earth, with more than 100 active volcanoes.

Of those, experts say about 20 are in danger of erupting at any time.

More than 4,000 people left the town of Chaiten, 10km (six miles) away from the volcano, after the initial eruption. Several hundred are still waiting to leave.

Futaleufu, 70km to the east, is also being evacuated.

Rodrigo Rojas of the National Emergency Office said the situation had deteriorated suddenly.

"Today the volcano is erupting with pyroplastic material on a different scale," he told Reuters news agency.

"We presume lava is flowing and so have ordered the immediate precautionary evacuation of all civilians, military and press in Chaiten."

(BBC)

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