Early Tuesday morning, at 3:00am, the Volcano Villarrica erupted in Chile, forcing nearby residents to evacuate immediately. The residents and tourists witnessed ash and lava being launched many thousands of feet into the still dark sky.

The amazing but potentially deadly sight was made even more fantastic by lightning. The rising hot air and ash caused many lightning bolts to strike downward toward the volcano.

The Volcano Villarrica is one of the most active in South America. The last eruption was in 2000. The 9,000-foot volcano is monitored and alerts were sent out shortly before the eruption.

The volcano is close to the Pucon resort area that is popular with tourists. It is about 460 miles south of Santiago, the capital city of Chile. About 3,400 people have been evacuated, many just as a preventative measure.

The Interior Minister, Rodrigo Penailillo, reported that the government has been called into an emergency meeting over the situation. The police and military are meeting at the presidential palace. Volcano experts are currently flying around the volcano to be able to decide what steps need to be taken next.

Later in the day, President Michelle Bachelet went to Pucon. By that time, there was not any lava flow or ash being sent into the sky. Some of the evacuees had even gone back to their homes.

The volcano is popular with tourists and people who love the outdoors. Some like to take a walk up the volcano to see the lava lake that is in the crater. It is about 200 yards across. Others can go fishing, horseback riding, and kayaking.

Another problem the volcano is causing is the melting of snow. It is covered by a glacier cap that is spread over 15 square miles above the 5,000 foot mark. Authorities fear that the melting snow could cause mudslides and flooding of nearby rivers.