Chaitén

The Volcano That Destroyed Its Own Town

Elevation

1,122 m

Last Eruption

2008–2011

Type

Caldera

Country

Chile

Location

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Volcanic Hazards & Risk Assessment

Primary Hazards

Pyroclastic flows and surges
Large explosive eruptions (VEI 4+)
Ash fall and tephra deposits
Lahars and debris flows

Risk Level

Population at RiskModerate

Infrastructure RiskHigh

Aviation RiskSignificant

Geological Composition & Structure

Rock Types

Primary

Unknown

Silica Content

Varied composition

Tectonic Setting

Unknown

Intraplate setting with hotspot or regional volcanic activity.

Age & Formation

Epoch

Unknown

Evidence

Unknown

Eruption Statistics & Analysis

Metric	Value	Global Ranking	Significance
Total Recorded Eruptions	Unknown	Low	Moderately active volcano
Maximum VEI	VEI Unknown	Minor	Local impact potential
Recent Activity	-20079985 years ago	Very Recent	Currently active

Monitoring & Alert Status

Monitoring Networks

Global Volcanism Program

International eruption database

Current Status

Active

Recent volcanic activity detected. Continuous monitoring in place.

Authority Sources

Smithsonian GVP

Official volcano database

Related Volcanoes

Carter Obasohan

via Unsplash

Other Volcanoes in Chile

Cerro Azul
Stratovolcano
Calbuco
Stratovolcano
Nevados de Chillán
Stratovolcano (compound)
Cerro Hudson
Stratovolcano with ice-filled caldera

Interesting Facts

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Chaitén's 2008 eruption was the first confirmed eruption of rhyolitic magma anywhere on Earth in over 450 years.

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The volcano gave only about 24 hours of recognizable seismic warning before its explosive eruption on May 2, 2008 — one of the shortest precursory periods for a major volcanic event in modern history.

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The 2008 Plinian column reached approximately 20 km into the atmosphere, dispersing ash across Patagonia and as far as Buenos Aires, over 1,500 km away.

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Despite the complete destruction of much of the town of Chaitén by lahars, the 2008 evacuation was successful — no direct fatalities occurred from volcanic hazards.

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Obsidian from Chaitén's lava dome was traded by pre-Columbian peoples along over 800 km of Chile's Pacific coast, making it one of the most important obsidian sources in South America.

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The new lava dome extruded during the 2008–2011 eruption grew so rapidly that it exceeded the height of the caldera rim within weeks.

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Chaitén's Holocene record includes two VEI 5 eruptions (~7750 BCE and ~3100 BCE), indicating the volcano is capable of eruptions significantly more powerful than the 2008 event.

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The Chilean government initially planned to abandon and relocate the entire town of Chaitén, but many residents returned and the town was partially rebuilt.

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Chaitén's 2008 eruption overturned the scientific assumption that highly viscous rhyolitic magma requires weeks or months to ascend through the crust — the magma traveled from storage to surface in days.

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The caldera's natural drainage through the Blanco River channels lahars directly toward the town of Chaitén, creating a persistent geographic vulnerability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chaitén volcano still active?

Yes, Chaitén is classified as an active volcano. Its most recent eruption occurred from 2008 to 2011, producing a major explosive event followed by rapid lava dome growth. The new dome within the caldera remains hot with active fumarolic emissions. SERNAGEOMIN maintains monitoring equipment around the volcano. While the current alert level is green, scientists emphasize that Chaitén is fully capable of erupting again, potentially with very little precursory warning — the 2008 eruption had a recognizable precursory period of only about 24 hours.

What happened during the 2008 Chaitén eruption?

On May 2, 2008, Chaitén erupted explosively after centuries of dormancy, producing a Plinian ash column reaching 20 km altitude. The eruption forced the complete evacuation of the nearby town of Chaitén (population ~4,500). Volcanic ash blanketed the region and disrupted air traffic across southern South America. A rhyolitic lava dome rapidly grew within the caldera, and lahars — mudflows of volcanic debris — swept through the town via the Blanco River, burying streets and destroying buildings. No direct fatalities occurred, but approximately half the town was rendered uninhabitable. Dome growth continued until 2011.

Was the town of Chaitén destroyed?

The town of Chaitén was severely damaged but not entirely destroyed. Lahars carrying volcanic debris overwhelmed the Blanco River and flooded through the town center, burying some areas under meters of mud. Approximately half the town's buildings were damaged or destroyed. The Chilean government initially planned to relocate the entire settlement to a safer site called Santa Bárbara. However, many residents chose to return, and the town was partially rebuilt and repopulated. Today, Chaitén functions as a transit hub on the Carretera Austral, though evidence of the 2008 disaster remains visible.

How tall is Chaitén volcano?

Chaitén's summit reaches 1,122 m (3,681 ft) above sea level. The volcano is a relatively small caldera, approximately 3 km in diameter, largely filled by a rhyolitic lava dome. Its modest height and low profile contributed to it being overlooked as a volcanic hazard before the 2008 eruption. By comparison, nearby Michinmahuida stands at 2,404 m. The height of the dome within the caldera changed significantly during the 2008–2011 eruption as new dome material was rapidly extruded.

What type of magma does Chaitén produce?

Chaitén erupts rhyolite, the most silica-rich (>72% SiO₂) and viscous type of magma. Rhyolitic eruptions are relatively rare globally and are typically extremely explosive because the high viscosity traps volcanic gases until pressure builds to a critical point. When rhyolitic magma does reach the surface effusively, it forms obsidian domes — glassy, viscous lava structures. Chaitén's caldera contains a prominent obsidian dome, and the 2008 eruption produced both explosive tephra and a new dome of the same composition.

Could Chaitén erupt again?

Yes, volcanologists consider future eruptions at Chaitén not only possible but likely on geological timescales. The volcano has erupted five times during the Holocene, including two VEI 5 events more powerful than the 2008 eruption. The magma storage system beneath the caldera is still active, as evidenced by ongoing fumarolic emissions from the 2008 dome. A key concern is that Chaitén may erupt again with very little advance warning — the 2008 event demonstrated that rhyolitic magma can mobilize and reach the surface in days. SERNAGEOMIN continues to monitor the volcano to detect any early signs of renewed activity.

Why was the 2008 Chaitén eruption scientifically important?

The 2008 eruption was a landmark event in volcanology for several reasons. It was the first confirmed rhyolitic eruption worldwide in over 450 years. It demonstrated that high-viscosity rhyolitic magma can ascend from crustal storage to the surface in days or less, overturning the prevailing assumption that such magma requires weeks to months. The extremely short precursory period — about 24 hours of notable seismicity — challenged existing volcanic early warning frameworks. The eruption also provided scientists with their first real-time observations of a rhyolitic dome-building eruption using modern monitoring technology.