Peru declares emergency in area near Ubinas volcano – DW – 07/06/2023

Peru It declared a state of emergency this Wednesday (07.05.2023) in the vicinity of the Upinas volcano in the south of the country, facing “immediate danger” due to a new eruption process that began on June 24.

The government approved the containment measure after explosions and ash spewing increased in recent hours.

The declaration “allows the implementation of exceptional, immediate and necessary measures and actions to reduce the existing risk, as well as response and rehabilitation interventions,” the executive said on the Twitter network.

The decree will be in force for 60 days and covers the districts of Mokugua region, 1,100 km south of Lima, affected by Upinas, the most active volcano in Peru at an altitude of 5,672 meters.

However, officials are yet to specify in which cities the state of emergency will apply.

Four years after the last eruption

Upinas broke out again four years later, leading the authorities Raise the alert from yellow to orange.

Near the volcano are the districts of Ubinas, Yunga, Lloque, Chojata, Matalaque, and San Juan de Tarucani, with a population of about 2,200.

On Tuesday, Upinas plume of smoke and ash reached a maximum height of 5,500 meters from the top of the crater, according to Peru’s Geophysical Institute.

Volcanic products reached Upinas and Madalak districts.

jc (afp, efe)