Two small eruptions took place at Ubinas volcano in Peru yesterday, 2 May 2008, projecting ash and gas to an altitude of 500 metres and causing alarm in neighbouring villages. Local reports spoke of ash being deposited on houses and crops. This activity brought to an end a week of calm at the volcano.

The possible evacuation of 45 families from the immediate vicinity of Ubinas is being considered by the provincial emergencies committee, reports El Comercio today, but as there would be no money to feed the evacuees, nothing has been done.

Information
Global Volcanism Program: Ubinas - summary information for Ubinas (1504-02=)
Instituto Geológico Minero y Metalúrgico - Geological, Mineral and Metallurgical Institute of Peru (Ingemmet)
Volcán Ubinas - Erupción 2006 - Ingemmet portal for Ubinas

News
Ubinas se activa otra vez - Diario Correo, 3 May 2008 (Spanish)
Emanan gases y cenizas en el Ubinas tras una semana de calma - El Comercio, 3 May 2008 (Spanish)
Dos nuevas explosiones del Ubinas alertan a la población de Moquegua - RPP Noticias, 3 May 2008 (Spanish)

Ole Nielsen’s always in-depth and fascinating Olelog (’what on earth’) has an interesting post on the 1600 eruption of Huaynaputina in southern Peru:

On 19 February 1600 [Huaynaputina] exploded catastrophically, in the largest volcanic explosion in South America in historic times. The eruption caused substantial damage to the major cities of Arequipa and Moquengua. It blanketed nearby villages with glowing rock and ash, and killed some 1,500 people. The eruption is known to have put a large amount of sulphur into the atmosphere …

… and thereby hangs the tale, because the article goes on to discuss the effects of this eruption on global climate: cold winters, late harvests, famine. A new article by Ken Verosub and Jake Lippman, ‘The volcano that changed the world’, goes into it all in detail. It’s published in the AGU’s Eos newsletter, which is very much not open access. To find out more read Ole Nielsen’s post, which gives full references and provides links to further information.

Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program - summary information for Huaynaputina (1504-03=)

Peru’s most active volcano, Ubinas, has been in eruption since March 2006, and is currently going through an increase in activity. The gas currently being produced by the volcano is making hundreds of people in neighbouring areas sick, according to reports in the Peruvian media. The inhabitants of the districts of Querapi, Ubinas and Sacoaya are complaining of headaches and respiratory illnesses.

El Comercio reports that Ubinas’s emissions and ash cloud affects an area within 50 kilometres radius of the volcano, and that ash fall is causing alarm in surrounding districts. An investigative commission from Moquegua Region will be visiting the area today to assess the extent of the problems being caused by the volcano, and to test local drinking water supplies. In an earlier report, El Comercio quoted a civil defence authority warning that ash may have affected cattle pasture, which may lead to shortages of food locally.

Scientists from the Instituto Geológico, Minero y Metalúrgico (Ingemmet), Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) and the Instituto Geofísico of the Universidad Nacional San Agustín de Arequipa maintain constant monitoring of the volcano. Ingemmet reports that Ubinas’s activity is increasing, with three explosions on 23 April producing a 1.6-kilometre eruption column.

Information
Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program - summary information for Ubinas (1504-02=)
Instituto Geológico Minero y Metalúrgico - Geological, Mineral and Metallurgical Institute of Peru (Ingemmet)
Volcán Ubinas - Erupción 2006 - Ingemmet portal for Ubinas

News
Gases y cenizas del Ubinas estarían afectando a más de 800 pobladores - El Comercio, 24 April 2008 (Spanish)
Determinarán si evacuan a pobladores de Ubinas tras reactivación del volcán - El Comercio, 24 April 2008 (Spanish)
Gases y cenizas del volcán Ubinas enferman a población - RPP Noticias, 24 April 2008 (Spanish)
Active volcano makes hundreds sick in Ubinas, Peru - Living in Peru, 25 April 2008