Solar radiation reaches historic highs in Peru
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Just a few years ago, Peru’s meteorological agency, Senamhi, established a scale of ultraviolet solar radiation with a maximum of 15.
The situation is even more serious in the central and southern regions of Peru, where residents will have to contend with solar radiation levels of up to 20.
Among the factors that make Peru the world leader in solar radiation is proximity to the equatorial region, according to a 2006 study by New Zealand scientist Richard McKenzie.
The study ranked Bolivia in second place, followed by Argentina and Chile.
In Peru, exposure to solar radiation is increased by the environmental pollution that annually destroys around 1 percent of the ozone layer, the section of the atmosphere that filters UV radiation. ■