Volcanic ash—made of tiny particles of rock—poses some health concerns, though not always in the ways people might think.
The massive and deadly eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano stunned the world when it sent a huge plume of gas, ash and other debris hurtling into the atmosphere last weekend. The mushrooming brown cloud was clearly visible in satellite images.
When volcanic ash starts to fall, it can look a bit like snow, but actually it is made of tiny particles of rock. Some of the particles are sand-sized, but others are more like flour—it’s these small particles that can be breathed into the lungs. Most healthy people can tolerate breathing even quite high concentrations of ash for a while. They might find it irritating—it may give you a sore throat and a cough, and it may give you itchy skin and sore eyes. We are more concerned about people with existing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
When people have to go outdoors—people will need to be cleaning up after the disaster, going to work, school, et cetera—they can lessen their exposure to ash by wearing effective face masks. They may also need to wear them indoors if the ash got inside the home, and they need to clean it up. Ash can settle into water sources. Are there concerns about water quality? And are there ways to address any contamination?
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
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