Post date: Feb 26, 2013 11:35:22 PM
Peru's rumbling Sabancaya volcano sets off hundreds of earthquakes and spews plumes off smoke high into the sky, rattling residents living around the South American country's most active volcano.
AREQUIPA, PERU (FEBRUARY 25, 2013) (CANAL N) - Hundreds of small earthquakes have shaken the earth around the Sabancaya volcano in southern Peru over just a few days, and the rumbling, along with plumes of smoke spewing up to 100 metres (320 feet) high, have put officials on alert to evacuate the area.
Peru's geological agency Ingemmet recorded some 536 quakes, about 20 an hour, on February 22 and 23 and periodic movement is ongoing.Geologists met with defence officials in Arequipa for a briefing on activity at Peru's most active volcano.
With the high levels of seismic activity heightening fears among residents, Ingemmetgeologist Jersy Marino played down fears of an imminent eruption.
"We have not said at any time that Sabancaya is erupting. It is an important stage of anomalous seismic activity with a significant emission of volcanic gases, which in many cases could precede an eruption," he said.
Thousands of people live in the valleys surrounding the volcano. Some have already started to leave the region because the unusual seismic activity has damaged their homes.
About 80 homes were damaged by one tremor on February 22, Peru's national defence office said.
The 6,000-metre (20,000-foot) volcano Sabancaya, which means "tongue of fire" in Quechua, has not had a significant eruption in nearly a decade. It sits atop the South America tectonic plate, which forces magma to the surface when it clashes with the neighbouring Nazca plate.
Ingemmet reports the volcano has been releasing huge smoke trails intermittently since January 15 and current seismic activity is similar to that which accompanied an eruption in 1986.
Sabancaya, active historically, was dormant for 200 years before erupting into activity several times in the 1980s and 1990s. No casualties were reported at that and the volcano has only experienced small eruptions since.