Mass Evacuation Ordered after UBINAS Eruption

VOLCANIC HAZARD
STATE OF EMERGENCY
MASS EVACUATIONS
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Ubinas Volcano spews 3.2km-high plumes of toxic ash

Some 4,000 residents and more than 40,000 animals are being evacuated to a “safety zone” about  20km from Peru’s most active volcano.

Villagers are concerned for the health of their livestock, a major source of income. “In the district of Ubinas alone, there are an estimated 40,000 llamas and alpacas.” A significant percentage of these animals could be seriously affected by the silica ash, which  contaminates their grazing areas after each significant eruption, local sources have said.

The silica ash from the  eruption damages crops, polluting water sources, and threatening villagers and their livestock.

“The Ollanta Humala’s administration declared a state of emergency in nearby provinces, which will provide financial assistance for those affected by eruption of the Ubinas volcano, in southern Peru’s Arequipa region,” reported Andina news agency.

A major eruption in 2006 forced mass evacuations and killed livestock that consumed ash-contaminated fodder, said the report.

Ubinas Volcano erupted multiple times in September 2013 after three years of dormancy. Image credit: ANDINA

The massive 5,670-meter volcano is located about 70 kilometers from the city of Arequipa (metro pop: ~ 1,260,000), and 1,250km south of the capital Lima, close to the country’s Pacific coast, about  230 km east of the Peru-Chile trench and about 150 km above the Benioff-Wadati plane, where the Nazca plate is subducting under the continental part of the South American Plate.

Related Links

• Peru Declares State of Emergency as Ubinas Erupts Again September 13, 2013
• Ubinas Volcano Erupts 6 Times in 60 Hour September 5, 2013

Peru Declares State of Emergency as Ubinas Erupts Again

Volcanic ash from Ubinas sickening nearby residents

Ubinas Volcano’s 10th eruption since September 1, 2013 prompted the authorities to declare a 60-day state of emergency in various districts of the Moquegua and Arequipa departments, which are affected by volcanic emissions, especially silica ash, and near constant explosions.

The latest eruption sent a plume of ash and smoke to a height of about 2,500 meters above the crater summit, said the Geophysical Institute of Peru.

Ubinas Volcano. Photo credit: El Comercio/Carlos Zanabria

The silica ash from the volcano is damaging crops, polluting water sources, and threatening villagers and their livestock.

Authorities are distributing face masks and evacuating villagers living closest to the volcano. They are also planning to relocate at least one village to a safe area.

El Comercio reported earlier this week that some residents in the nearby town of Querapi, which authorities are planning to relocate,  had arrived at a local hospital complaining of vomiting, headaches, and stomach pain, most likely cause by ingesting silica ash.

Villagers are also concerned for the health of their livestock, a major source of income. “In the district of Ubinas alone, there are an estimated 40,000 llamas and alpacas. According to El Comercio, up to 15% of these animals could be seriously affected by the silica ash, which has contaminated their grazing areas.”

Peru’s most active volcano, Ubinas is located about 70 kilometers from the city of Arequipa (metro pop: ~ 1,260,000), and 1,250km south of the capital Lima, close to the country’s Pacific coast, about  230 km east of the Peru-Chile trench and about 150 km above the Benioff-Wadati plane, where the Nazca plate is subducting under the continental part of the South American Plate.

Ubinas Volcano Erupts 6 Times in 60 Hours

Ubinas erupts after three years of dormancy

Ubinas Volcano in Moquegua region, SW Peru, erupted twice on September 1, and again on September 2, followed by two additional eruptions on September 3, and one on September 4.

The latest eruptions ejected columns of ash and volcanic gases to heights of about two kilometers above the summit crater.

Peru’s most active volcano, Ubinas is located about 70 kilometers from the city of Arequipa (metro pop: ~ 1,260,000), near the country’s Pacific coast, about  230 km east of the Peru-Chile trench and about 150 km above the Benioff-Wadati plane, where the Nazca plate is subducting under the continental part of the South American Plate.

“We have to be alert in monitoring the volcano to consider any evacuation if it is needed,” said President Ollanta Humala on Wednesday.

Ubinas Volcano has erupted six times since September 1, 2013 after three years of dormancy. Image credit: ANDINA

Related Search Terms on Fire Earth

“UBINAS” “Volcano Watch”

Volcano Watch: 3 February 2009

Volcanic Activity Report: 28 January-3 February 2009

From: SI / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report

New Activity/Unrest:

• Asama, Honshu, Japan
• Redoubt, Southwestern Alaska

Volcano of the Week: Ubinas

Volcán Ubinas, seen here from the west, is Perú’s most active volcano. A small, 1.2-km-wide caldera that cuts the top of Ubinas gives it a truncated appearance. The upper slopes of the stratovolcano steepen to nearly 45 degrees. The steep-walled, 150-m-deep caldera contains an ash cone with a 500-m-wide funnel-shaped vent that is 200-m deep. Holocene lava flows are visible on the volcano’s flanks, but historical activity, documented since the 16th century, has consisted of intermittent minor explosive eruptions. Photo by Norm Banks, 1988 (U.S. Geological Survey). Caption: GVP

Volcano Name: Ubinas

Country: Perú
Volcano Type:  Stratovolcano
Last Known Eruption: 2008 (in or after)
Summit Elevation: 5672 m (18,609 feet)
Latitude: 16.355°S 16°21’18″S
Longitude: 70.903°W 70°54’11″W

Based on a SIGMET notice, the Buenos Aires VAAC reported that on 31 January an ash plume from Ubinas rose to an altitude of 6.7 km (22,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SW. Ash was not seen on satellite imagery.

Ongoing Activity:

• Barren Island, Andaman Is
• Chaitén, Southern Chile
• Fuego, Guatemala
• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka
• Kilauea, Hawaii
• Kliuchevskoi, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Pacaya, Guatemala
• Rabaul, New Britain
• Sakura-jima, Kyushu
• Santa María, Guatemala
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat
• Tungurahua, Ecuador
• Ubinas, Perú

Week 33 Volcano Watch

13 August-19 August 2008

New Activity/Unrest:

• Asama, Honshu
• Bezymianny, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Kasatochi, Andreanof Islands
• Piton de la Fournaise, Reunion Island
• Soufrière Hills, Montserrat

Piton de la Fournaise. The massive Piton de la Fournaise on the island of Réunion is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. It is seen here in 1977 with a fresh black lava flow descending the outer NE flank of the shield volcano to the sea. An unvegetated summit lava shield (upper left) was constructed within an 8-km-wide caldera that is breached to the sea. Its sloping northern rim is marked by the diagonal vegetation line at the left. More than 150 eruptions have occurred since the 17th century, mostly from vents within the caldera. (Caption:Global Volcanism Program ). Copyrighted photo by Katia and Maurice Krafft, 1977 (published in SEAN Bulletin, 1977).

Ongoing Activity:

• Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia)
• Chaitén, Southern Chile
• Chikurachki, Paramushir Island
• Cleveland, Chuginadak Island
• Colima, México
• Dukono, Halmahera
• Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka
• Kilauea, Hawaii (USA)
• Krakatau, Indonesia
• Llaima, Central Chile
• Manam, Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific)
• Masaya, Nicaragua
• Okmok, Fox Islands
• Rabaul, New Britain
• Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia)
• Ubinas, Perú

The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is a cooperative project between the Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey’s Volcano Hazards Program. This page is updated on Wednesdays, please see the GVP Home Page for news of the latest significant activity.