EU to conduct environmental analysis in Argentina

The EU will send a specialist team of geologists and pollution experts to conduct an environmental analysis in Argentina.

This comes after parts of the South American country were adversely affected by the recent eruption of the Puyehue volcano in nearby Chile.

Samples will be taken to measure air, soil and water quality across the afflicted areas in order to make sure locals do not face any short or long-term health risks.

The project - which will run until July 19th - is being organised by the Joint Environment Unit of the UN Environment Programme and the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Ash from the eruption on June 4th was sent 10 km into the atmosphere and 4,200 people in Chile were evacuated from their homes.

Flights as far afield as Australia were grounded due to the density of the particles in the sky and Nasa revealed that satellite images showed the volcano was still spewing ash last week.

Posted by Joseph Hutton