Peruvian Volcano Erupts, Spewing Ash And Smoke: Ash Exposure Kills Alpaca, Sickens Residents [WATCH VIDEO]

A Peruvian volcano has exploded, spewing ash and smoke.

The Ubinas Volcano, located in the Andes mountains near the border with Chile, has had a sudden burst of activity this week.

A column of ash and smoke rose from the Peruvian volcano. It reached two kilometers in height.

Residents of Salinas Huito, an area near Arequipa, said that several llamas and alpacas died after eating ash-covered plants.

However, the authorities said the ash posed little danger to local populations.

Residents complained of respiratory and ocular infections as a result of ash exposure.

The Ubinas volcano had been dormant since 2009 before erupting on Tuesday. It is in the Moquegua region 70 kilometers outside of Arequipa, Peru.

A news release from the National Civil Defense Institute (INDECI) promises to prepare for catastrophe and monitor the volcano. It says that the "INDECI is coordinating with technical-scientific organizations such as the Institute of Geology, Mining, and Metallurgy (INGEMMET) to monitor the volcano's activity."

Regional president, Moquegua Martín Vizcarra Cornejo, urged residents to remain calm.

Scientists have been performing tests to determine the cause of the eruption and monitor the volcano for activity.

The scientists think that snow and water from the cold days may have seeped into the cracks of the volcano and caused a buildup of pressure, thus causing ash to erupt.

Watch the volcano erupt in the incredible video below:

What do you think of the Peruvian volcano erupting? Will it get worse? Souund off in the comments below!