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Villagers to be evacuated ahead
of volcano eruption in Peru
Over 42 families in southern
Peru will be evacuated after a
state of emergency was declared
in the area on Friday for fear
of a larger volcano eruption.
The evacuation was ordered by
President Alejandro Toledo in a
presidential decree, which
instructed all governmental
institutions to take coordinated
measures to prevent a full-blown
crisis after the Ubinas volcano
first erupted earlier this
month.
Local volcanologists said Ubinas'
crater has expanded in size,
signaling an imminent larger
eruption.
The villagers will be evacuated
with the help of Peru's air
forces, the decree said, adding
that the government will provide
medicine and materials for
residents affected by the
eruption.
The 5,670-meter Unibas volcano,
some 900 km south of the
Peruvian capital of Lima, has
been spewing smoke and ash since
its first eruption earlier this
month.
Some residents living near the
volcano reported eye and
breathing problems and dozens of
livestock, like vicuna, died
after eating grass contaminated
by volcanic ash.
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