Volcanic Ash and Pumice From Puyehue

Though the eruption at Chile's Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano chain has diminished slightly since it began on June 4, it continues to wreak havoc both near and far. Ash and floating pumice stones are choking nearby lakes and rivers, threatening to damage dams or cause flooding. Resort areas in Argentina that would normally be preparing for ski season are digging themselves out from under a blanket of ash, trying to restore water and power services knocked out by the volcano. Evacuated ranchers are worrying about the livestock they left behind without grazing pasture. Puyehue's ash cloud has already circled the globe, high in the atmosphere, disrupting air traffic as far away as Australia and New Zealand.

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