It is understood that Peru is a country with a traditional agricultural and mining industry, as well as abundant tourism resources. However, recently, Peru has experienced a series of disasters that have affected its agricultural and tourism sectors.

In addition, there were earthquakes related to rock fractures, and 164 volcanic earthquakes caused by the circulation of magma fluids within the volcano. Due to continuous ash emissions, farms and pastures within 10 kilometers of the crater were severely affected, requiring the evacuation of local residents and a ban on air traffic in the area.

Apart from the volcanic eruption, Peru’s Ministry of the Environment announced that the cities of Huancavelica in the central-western region and Cuzco in the southern part of the country have entered a state of environmental emergency due to severe damage to the environment and public health caused by heavy metal mercury pollution.

It is understood that Huancavelica is a city located in the central-western part of Peru, serving as a trade hub for agriculture and animal husbandry. It has agricultural cultivation such as coffee, as well as industries including brewing, flour milling, leather tanning, and dairy production. However, the city is also home to the famous Santa Barbara mercury mine.

Additionally, Cuzco is a city rich in tourism resources. Although it has less arable land, it also grows crops such as wheat, corn, potatoes, and coffee, and is one of Peru’s coffee-growing regions.

Therefore, industry insiders are concerned that this could affect coffee production in Peru. In addition, mercury pollution can also be harmful to human health, raising concerns about potential labor shortages due to mercury contamination. After all, in recent times, the Americas region has seen a large number of residents choosing to emigrate to other countries due to issues such as drought, dengue fever, and national politics, leading to a labor shortage.

However, the Peruvian government is taking this mercury pollution very seriously and will launch a specific action plan to address the health and environmental issues of residents in the affected areas. The Ministry of Environment will urgently handle the most severely affected areas, and the Ministry of Energy and Mines will also include the affected regions in its mining environmental responsibility list, mitigating pollution risks through ecological restoration strategies. Additionally, local governments will also adopt pollution response strategies.