Breathtaking Images Of A Chilean Volcano Erupting

At 3 a.m. Tuesday morning, one of Chile's most active volcanos erupted. Ash and lava shot nearly two miles into the night sky, creating some breathtaking imagery. While 3,600 people were forced to evacuate, there have been no reports of casualties so far. The volcano, called Villarrica, began showing signs of an impending eruption on Monday — after 15 years of dormancy. After erupting for several hours, Villarrica calmed. By midday Tuesday, most evacuated residents had returned to their homes. The volcano is about 400 miles south of Chile's capital, near a town called Pucon, which wasn't threatened by the blast. However, there is still risk of mudslides and flooding as melted snow descends from the mountaintop, and several nearby communities are being monitored by the authorities. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet flew to the area and has declared an agricultural emergency to help local farmers recover after crop loss. Watch a video of the eruption below.