Chile volcano eruption - in pictures

A lightning storm over the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle range a day after the volcano, which had lain dormant for half a century, erupted Photograph: Francisco Negroni, AgenciaUno/AP

A policeman walks along a road on the Cardenal Samore border pass between Argentina and Chile, now covered with pumice from the volcano Photograph: Ivan Alvarado/Reuters

The ninth hole at the Llao Llao hotel golf course in Bariloche, Argentina, covered in ash from Chile's Puyehue volcano Photograph: Francisco Ramos Mejia/AFP/Getty Images

The ash plume at sunset above the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle chain, seen near Entre Lagos Photograph: Carlos Gutierrez /Reuters

A cowherd goes about his business near the village of Rininahue against the dramatic backdrop of the volcano's ash cloud Photograph: Claudio Santana/AFP/Getty Images

Argentinian workers use bulldozers to remove ash from the streets of San Carlos de Bariloche, more than 60 miles away from the volcano Photograph: Alfredo Leiva/AP

A vast plume of ash rises above the clouds after the volcano erupted, hours after strong seismic activity in the area Photograph: Ian Salas/EPA

Birds fly near the plume of ash rising from the volcano Photograph: Ian Salas/EPA

Locals turn their back on the erupting volcano in Chile as the wind begins to break up the ash plume. The eruption prompted the evacuation of thousands of people as it sent a cloud of ash as far as Argentina Photograph: Ian Salas/EPA

Ash from the eruption is dispersed by the wind Photograph: Claudio Santana/AFP/Getty Images

Sunlight is reflected off the volcano's ash cloud Photograph: Claudio Santana/AFP/Getty Images

Smoke billows into the sky during an electrical storm after the eruption of the Puyehue volcano in the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle chain in Chile, about 500 miles south of the capital, Santiago Photograph: Daniel Basualto/EPA

Lightning bolts emanate from the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcano's ash cloud. The area around the volcano had been on alert after a flurry of earthquakes Photograph: Ivan Alvarado/Reuters

The eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcano caused spectacular electrical storms. The volcanoes in the chain last saw a major eruption in 1960
Photograph: Francisco Negroni/Agenciauno /EPA

An electrical storm accompanies the volcanic eruption Photograph: Ian Salas/EPA