The Embassy advises U.S. citizens of recent volcanic activity at Sabancaya in southern Peru. The volcano is located about 50 miles northwest of Arequipa city and 20 miles southeast of Colca Canyon, which are popular tourist destinations in the region. To date, there have been no major disruptions to travel in the region due to volcanic activity. However, all travelers should continue to monitor news outlets closely for the latest developments.
Local government authorities monitoring the volcano have published a report highlighting the increased activity at Sabancaya since early November. This report recommends maintaining a distance of at least 12km (about 8 miles) from the volcano. It also notes that recent ash emissions have reached towns in the Colca valley, such as Maca, Achoma, Yanque and Chivay, as well as the districts of Huambo, Cabanaconde, Pinchollo, Lari, Tapay and Madrigal.
Peruvian authorities continue to closely monitor the Sabancaya volcano. Travelers to this region should monitor for any alerts and continue to adhere to instructions issued by local authorities.
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information for Peru.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Peru, located in Monterrico, a suburb of Lima, at Avenida La Encalada, Block Seventeen, at 51-1-618-2000, 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, or for after-hours emergencies.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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