A second spectacular blast from the Calbuco volcano (inset) in southern Chile has covered nearby towns and villages in a thick layer of ash (pictured). Yesterday's dramatic explosion was the first time the active volcano had erupted in over four decades, shooting ash and smoke over six miles into the air. There are now serious fears the ash could contaminate water supplies and cause severe respiratory damage to locals. 4,000 people have already abandoned their homes in the cities of Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt, 18 miles away from the source of the eruption which one local described as 'an atom bomb'.
