Villarrica, at 2,847 meters was the site of gas explosions and seismic events, with columns of fire up to 220 meters high erupting from the lava lake.
Alvaro Amigo, head of the National Volcano Observation Network, told AFP that "while we can't predict when a volcano will erupt, the conditions are there," according to daily estimates of activity at the site.

The glacier-covered volcano rises above the town of Pucon, with a population of around 28,000 who live just 15 kilometers from the summit.

The lakes and dense forests of the region attract tourists, and according to official figures, about 10,000 visitors climb Villarrica every summer.

“The Villarrica case is a risk because many people live in areas that are highly exposed” to the potential damage from the volcano, said geophysicist Cristian Farias.
Experts compare the current level of activity to what was seen before the previous eruption in 2015, when an explosion of lava, gas and ash rose 1.5 kilometers into the air without causing any damage before the volcano subsided again.

The last major eruption of the Villarrica volcano occurred in 1984.
The yellow warning is a step before the orange warning indicating an imminent eruption.

свернуть