Ash spewing volcano in Peru prompts state of emergency

LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's government declared a 60-day state of emergency for several southern towns on Wednesday as the country's most active volcano spews ash and gas.

Ash from the Ubinas volcano in the Moquegua region some 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) southeast of the capital Lima, has risen to altitudes of 5,500 meters and has reached towns over 10 km away, the Geophysical Institute of Peru said.

Some 2,000 people live in the affected area surrounding the volcano.

Local authorities have not ordered an evacuation yet, but the National Civil Defense Institute started preparing a shelter that was built in 2019, when the volcano erupted and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people.

Wednesday's emergency declaration allows the government to take "exceptional measures and actions" to counter risks from the Ubinas volcano. It was approved in a cabinet meeting with President Dina Boluarte, Peru's Council of Ministers said on Twitter.

The southern region of copper-producing Peru is home to some of the country's most important mines as well as a dozen active volcanoes. Peru is located within the "Pacific Ring of Fire," an area with a high incidence of earthquakes and volcanic activity.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Carolina Pulice; Editing by Brendan O'Boyle and Grant McCool)