12:26 | General Sanchez Cerro (Moquegua region), Jul. 26.
A new explosion was recorded at the
Ubinas Volcano —located in Peru's southern Sanchez Cerro province, Moquegua region— in the early hours of Wednesday.
The explosion was accompanied by a column of ash and gases reaching an altitude of more than 2 km above the volcano's summit.
The
Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP) has reported that the event took place at 5:22 a.m., adding that the ash and gases emitted by the volcano are being dispersed by the winds towards the northeast and east, and are expected to feature a dispersion radius greater than 10 kilometers.
The districts affected by this new explosion and release of ash include Ubinas, Yunga, Lloque, and Chojata. The emission of ash has decreased by now.
Recommendations
In case of exposure to ash, people must cover their nose, mouth, and eyes, in addition to keeping the doors and windows of homes closed.
They must also follow the indications from authorities and competent technical-scientific institutions.
Ubinas, one of most active volcanoes
Ubinas, one of the most active volcanoes in Peru, has awakened one more time, arousing concern and preventive actions among authorities.
In the past 500 years, Ubinas has experienced various eruptive events of moderate magnitude, with a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 2-3 (on a scale of 0-8), IGP volcanologist Jose del Carpio underlined.
Located in Peru's southern Sanchez Cerro province (Moquegua region), Ubinas is an imposing volcano rising 5,672 meters above sea level.
However, 5,354 people live within a 30 km radius of the massif and are at risk of being affected by a volcanic eruption and associated hazards.
(END) MAO/RMB/MVB
Published: 7/26/2023