| Official Name: | Chaitén |
| Flag Alt: | Flag |
| Shield Alt: | Coat of arms |
| Map Alt: | Location of Chaitén commune in Los Lagos Region |
| Pushpin Map Narrow: | yes |
| Pushpin Map: | Chile |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Chile |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 150 |
| Coor Pinpoint: | city |
| Coordinates: | -42.9167°N -72.7°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Chile |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Los Lagos |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Palena |
| Government Type: | Municipality |
| Leader Party: | ILE |
| Leader Title: | Alcalde |
| Leader Name: | Pedro Vásquez Celedón |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1933 |
| Established Title2: | Evacuated |
| Established Date2: | May 2008 |
| Area Total Km2: | 8470.5 |
| Population As Of: | 2012 census |
| Settlement Type: | Town and Commune |
| Population Total: | 3347 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Urban: | 4065 |
| Timezone: | CLT[1] |
| Utc Offset: | -4 |
| Timezone Dst: | CLST[2] |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -3 |
| Elevation M: | 12 |
| Postal Code Type: | postal code |
| Area Code: | country 56 + city = 65 |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | Cfb |
Chaitén is a Chilean town, commune and former capital of the Palena Province in Los Lagos Region. The town is north of the mouth of Yelcho River, on the east coast of the Gulf of Corcovado. The town is strategically close to the northern end of the Carretera Austral, where the highway goes inland. The Desertores Islands are part of the commune.
The town was evacuated in May 2008 when the Chaitén volcano erupted for the first time in more than 9,000 years.[3] [4] The eruption, which commenced May 2, became more violent on May 5,[5] throwing up a high plume of ash and sulfurous steam that rose to 19miles, from which ashfall drifted across Patagonia and over the Atlantic Ocean.[6] During 2005 small earthquakes occurred below Chaitén and the nearby Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault Zone.[7]
The town was completely flooded on May 12, 2008, after a lahar caused the banks of the Blanco River to overflow about 200m (700feet) on each side.[8] Over the subsequent weeks, the river excavated a new course through Chaitén, completely destroying a significant part of it by July 2008. This process is still ongoing; it is unclear how extensive the damage will ultimately be. Some defensive work has been undertaken by the government, but they ultimately decided to abandon the town, relocating and compensating all residents.[9] The provincial capital was provisionally moved to Futaleufú after the eruption breakout, but the capital shift was later on declared permanent. The future of the town has become a matter of political controversy in Chile.
On February 25, 2009, the government announced plans to rebuild Chaitén 10km (10miles) north of its current location in a coastal place known as Santa Bárbara or "Fandango Norte".[10] On March 3, 2009, construction work on the new town's administrative facilities started.[11]
On April 9, 2011, president Sebastián Piñera announced a program to rebuild the town on its existing northern area, reversing plans by the previous administration to move the town to a different location farther north.[12]
Nearby attractions include: