LIMA, July 5 (NNN-ANDINA) — A new explosion was registered at Ubinas Volcano on Tuesday afternoon, at around 2:00 p.m. (local time), resulting in an eruptive column that exceeded 3,000 meters above its crater.
It was reported that the fall of ash is imminent in areas located southeast, such as Ubinas, Escacha, Sacohaya, San Miguel, and Anascapa, up to 1 cm thick.
This information was confirmed by the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP), which released images of the moment of said explosion.
The event then continued with ash emission that affected various populated centers located in the districts of Ubinas and Matalaque in General Sanchez Cerro province, Moquegua region —southern Peru.
Last Monday, Prime Minister Alberto Otarola announced that the Government is constantly evaluating the situation in Ubinas, adding that it is considering declaring a state of emergency in the area.
Several towns within the districts of Ubinas and Matalaque, located in the province of General Sanchez Cerro (Moquegua region), were the first affected by the fall of ash following the explosions at Ubinas Volcano, which took place in the early hours of Tuesday, the Geophysical Institute of Peru (IGP) reported.
According to the IGP, the ash fall took place in both districts, with a thickness of up to 1 mm in the district of Ubinas.
“This scenario had been warned by the IGP as clear indicators of magma moving into the surface became available, including seismicity associated with the magma movement and thermal anomalies over the crater,” it stated.
In a statement, Peru’s geophysics agency confirmed that the explosive stage at Ubinas Volcano began on Tuesday at around 3:17 a.m. (local time), resulting in a 5 km high eruptive column and the dispersion of the ash cloud —by the wind— towards the south and southeast areas of the volcano.
In this regard, IGP volcanologist Jose Del Carpio explained that Tuesday’s event might mark the start of a period of explosive activity at Ubinas Volcano.
“From here on out, eruptions could occur at intervals of hours, dumping ash on nearby districts such as Ubinas, Yunga, Lloque, Chojata, Matalaque, and San Juan de Tarucani, depending on the winds’ predominant direction,” Del Carpio remarked. — NNN-ANDINA