A steady stream of smoke and ash leaking from the Villarrica volcano has residents of a nearby town wondering if - or when - disaster might strike . Chilean officials raised threat levels to orange on Wednesday due to increasing signs of activity in the 2840-meter tall volcano , leaving area residents fearful of an eruption . 'No one can sleep peacefully because the other day the eruption surprised us at 3 in the morning , ' said Francisco Valenzuela , a tour guide in the nearby resort town of Pucon . Looming danger : A steady stream of smoke and ash being released from the Villarrica volcano has residents wondering if - or when - disaster might strike . 'The tourists are also a little uncertain , ' Valenzuela said . 'Could something happen today ? Could something happen tomorrow ? ' The BBC reports that local authorities canceled classes for the more than 5,500 students in the area . Many of the residents in towns and communities surrounding the volcano had to be evacuated earlier in the month , when lava and smoke erupted from the peak in the early hours of the morning . 'It was spewing lava and ash hundreds of meters into the air , ' 29-year-old Australian tourist Travis Armstrong said . 'Lightning was striking down at the volcano from the ash cloud that formed from the eruption . ' Adding to the threat of ash and lava , the peak is covered by a glacier cap and snow , causing some officials to worry the eruption could cause mudslides or force rivers to flood and jump their banks . Threat : Chilean officials raised threat levels to orange on Wednesday due to increasing signs of activity in the 2840-meter tall volcano , leaving area residents fearful of an eruption . The peak , located about 500 miles south of Santiago , is a popular hiking destination for tourists who could until recently peer into the crater and wonder about the volcano 's destructive capacity . Smoke and lava : An eruption earlier this month triggered an evacuation , and residents worry it could happen again . Starry night : The calm sky provided a contrasting backdrop to the volcano , which officials worry could melt glacial waters and accumulated snow . Warning signs : Authorities raised threat levels last Wednesday when ash started pouring out of Villarrica again , after an earlier eruption was believed to have subsided . 'This is not a fireworks show , ' according to Rodrigo Alvarez , director of the National Service of Geology and Mining , who directed everyone - but especially tourists - not to stray near the volcano . The peak , located about 500 miles south of Santiago , is a popular hiking destination for tourists . With the last large eruption occurring in 1984 , tourists could until recently peer into the crater and wonder about the volcano 's destructive capacity . Chile 's president , Michelle Bachelet , visited Pucon after the first eruption to check on safety preparations and declare a state of emergency for area farmers in order to provide aid . 'You never know when an eruption will take place but what we do know is that the activity is lower , that 's visible , ' Bachelet said earlier in the month . The residents who have returned home remain wary of the volcano , but many believe they can spot a warning sign in time to evacuate again safely . 'We are here everyday following it in the morning and afternoon to see if there 's some change , ' said Pablo Mendez . 'Something that would give us some minutes to evacuate . ' Warning signs : Authorities raised threat levels last Wednesday when ash started pouring out of Villarrica again , after an earlier eruption was believed to have subsided . Present danger : Residents left their houses after the Villarica volcano erupted , thousands were evacuated . Distance : The resort town of Pucon lies near the base of the the Villarrica volcano and hosts tourists who come to hike the imposing landmass . Lava flow : Erupting lava earlier in March caused officials to worry that melting snow could start mudslides .
The volcano erupted earlier this month , triggering evacuations of thousands of people , including tourists . Residents in Santiago , a resort town near the volcano , were fearful that clouds of smoke could signal another eruption was on its way . The March eruption was Villarrica 's first major eruption since 1984 .