Hualcán - White cordillera

HUALCÁN // Alt. 6245 m
PERU, Ancash region.

The Hualcán summit is formed by two glacier bodies: Cochca and Rajupaquinan. The Cochca glacier has 2 peaks higher than 5500 m.a.s.l., while the Rajupaquinan glacier has a peak higher than 6000 m.a.s.l. The reduction of the glacier area is noticeable in the gray areas where bedrock is exposed below steeply sloping glaciers, originating hanging glaciers with large ice masses, demonstrating the accelerated retreat of Peru's tropical glaciers.

The Hualcán ecosystem has 3 main lagoons: lagoon 513, lagoon Cochca and lagoon Rajupaquinan. In this VR scene we explore the problems of GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood) and particularly the environment of the lagoon 513 where in 2010 a strong alluvium occurred with multiple consequences for the inhabitants of the area.


Audio comments: Roque Vargas, risk management specialist, INAIGEM.