Natural disasters in Chile: Sinkhole in Arauco and volcanic activity in Ñuble

In the Arauco commune, a massive sinkhole in the Villa El Mirador sector has prompted the preventive evacuation of 152 families. Provincial presidential delegate Pedro Marileo acknowledged that previous technical reports from municipal teams and the National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin) had warned of unstable ground conditions in the area. The housing complex, where residents relocated following the 2010 earthquake, faces risks from further landslides due to water accumulation. As of Saturday, only four of the 152 families had successfully evacuated.

Simultaneously, the Nevados de Chillán volcanic complex in the Ñuble Region recorded an eruptive pulse on Sunday, October 25. The event produced a column of pyroclastic material and gases reaching 1,540 meters in height, dispersing toward the southeast. Sernageomin has maintained a yellow alert level, indicating changes in volcanic behavior and the possibility of future episodes of similar or greater energy. Authorities have maintained a two-kilometer security perimeter around the emission center and kept early warning alerts active for the communes of Pinto and Coihueco.