Ashes from the latest Calbuco volcanic eruption got to Chiles southeast Cochamo and Ensenada towns by wind and contaminated drinking water there.
The latest eruption, the third in eight days, started at about 1.20pm local time on Thursday (30 April). In the past week, the eruption has poured rocks, ashes and smoke that have reached the Chilean capital city of Santiago and even as far as Argentina and Uruguay.
Ashes can be seen to pile up at roadside, cover houses of local residents and spread into rivers. Residents in Ensenada town, closest town to Calbuco volcano, felt it hard to get clean water out of taps, so they had to buy bottles of drinking water.
Six 1.5ltr bottles of drinking water are nine litres in total, which cost us 6,000 peso (£6.60, $10), said Vladimir, Ensenada resident.
The Chilean government offered every resident 60ltr of bottled water, but its not enough for them as everyone has to use at least 50ltr a day.
Its bad for health if we drink contaminated water. People suffered from the disaster but we need move on. We cant control a natural disaster as it may fall anywhere. But it cant defeat us anyhow, said Vladimir.
An enclosure of 20km around the Calbuco volcano was implemented. The Chilean Government declared on Thursday maximum alert for a new and dangerous eruption of the Calbuco volcano in the southern region of Los Lagos, while launching preventive measures to confront the emergency.
