Impacts of the june 2011 Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex eruption on urban infrastructure, agriculture and public health

WILSON, THOMAS M.; STEWART, CAROL; BICKERTON, HEARTHER; BAXTER, PETER J; OUTES, V.; VILLAROSA, G.; ROVERE, E. I

Institute of geological and Nuclear Sciences

Año: 2013 p. 88

978-1-972192-02-3

Effects of the June 2011 eruption of the Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex (PCC-VC) on urban infrastructure, agriculture and public health in Argentina were investigated by a multidisciplinary team from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Argentina. The team also studied the emergency management of the eruption crisis. Field work was carried out between 27 February and 16 March 2012. The team focused its efforts on the population centres that received the greatest ashfalls (Villa la Angostura, San Carlos de Bariloche and Ing. Jacobacci), and on agricultural regions affected by ashfall. A notable feature of this eruption (and other eruptions in Patagonia) has been the extensive remobilisation of unconsolidated ash deposits by the strong prevailing winds in the region. Towns on the steppe such as Jacobacci have been particularly severely affected, and at the time of our visit, severe air quality problems were continuing to occur on a regular basis.