Copahue volcano emits large smoke and ash cloud in Argentina LONCOPUE, Argentina, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- The Copahue volcano in Argentina spewed a large cloud of ash and smoke Saturday, prompting provincial emergency officials to issue an alert. The Buenos Aires Herald reported that despite the yellow alert, villages in the vicinity were not evacuated. VolcanoDiscovery.com reported a satellite photo taken at 2 p.m. local time showed the large ash plume drifting about 70 miles southeast of the volcano. The website said ash had fallen on Loncopue village about 31 miles from the volcano. It's been more than a decade since the volcano's last eruption.