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Chileans Dig Out After Volcano's Dramatic Eruption

The town of Ensenada was covered in 20 inches of ash when the Calbuco volcano burst into life on Wednesday.
Image: Volcano Calbuco in Chile
Men shovel ash from a rooftop as the Calbuco volcano continues to spew giant clouds of ash behind them in Ensenada, southern Chile, on April 24. The Calbuco volcano in southern Chile erupted 22 April after lying dormant for 43 years. Ensenada was covered in 50 centimeters of ash, and about 4,000 people were evacuated, the Chilean National Emergency Office (ONEMI) said on 23 April. Schools in the area around the volcano were closed. FELIPE TRUEBA / EPA
/ Source: NBC News

Men shoveled ash from a rooftop, above, as the Calbuco volcano continued to spew clouds of ash behind them in Ensenada, southern Chile, on Friday, two days after it burst into life in spectacular, fiery fashion for the first time in half a century, forcing 4,000 people to evacuate and lighting up the night sky. Ensenada was covered in 20 inches of ash.

The volcano puffed out more ash and smoke on Friday, prompting new evacuations and leading airlines to cancel flights to Argentine capital Buenos Aires, some 850 miles east.

Image: CHILE-VOLCANO-CALBUCO
Ash continues to spew from the Calbuco volcano in Puerto Varas, Chile on April 24.MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP - Getty Images
Image: A boat is seen in a house backyard at Ensenada town which is covered with ash from Calbuco volcano
A boat is buried in volcanic ash in a backyard in Ensenada, near Puerto Varas, Chile, on April 23.IVAN ALVARADO / Reuters

Gallery: Volcano Spews Ash and Fire

— NBC News and Reuters