Smoke and ash billowing from Puyehue volcano is seen near Osorno city in southern Chile June 4, 2011.[Xinhua/Reuters]

The Puyehue volcano in south Chile has begun to erupt, the National Emergency Office of Chile(ONEMI) confirmed Saturday.

Juan Andres Varas, governor of the Region of Los Rios, confirmed that "there is clearly a column of smoke about 10 miles high in the Puyehue volcano, which is quite shocking. "

According to Varas, in the communes of Futrono, Lago Ranco and Rio Bueno, there was a strong smell of sulfur and large quantities of ash.

The Energy and Mining Miniter, Laurence Golborne, confirmed the information from the ONEMI, explaining that the plume has a width of 5 km. "This will be evaluated continuously for the next few hours, " he said.

Smoke and ash billowing from Puyehue volcano is seen near Osorno city in southern Chile June 4, 2011.[Xinhua/Reuters]