Mt. Shiveluch spewed lava and ash over Kamchatka in Russia’s Far East
© Telegram / Dmitriy Levin
The Shiveluch volcano in the Russian Far East erupted on Tuesday morning local time, throwing a plume of ash up to 20 kilometers into the atmosphere. Kamchatka authorities are monitoring the lava flow, while residents of nearby towns were told to stay inside and wear masks.
The eruption began around 1 am and reached its maximum just before 6 am, according to volcanologists from the local chapter of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Plumes of hot ash rose into the sky, followed by rockfalls and the flow of lava from the mountain, which rises 2,500 meters above the Pacific Ocean.
Instruments and satellite surveillance on Tuesday morning confirmed the ash reached up to 20 kilometers into the atmosphere. The event was registered by monitoring stations more than 100 kilometers away.
Scientists and local residents captured the stunning and ominous cloud rising above Shiveluch, and shared videos of a thick layer of ash covering vehicles and homes in nearby towns.
“Fortunately, the volcano did not begin erupting during the tourist season, when many irresponsible travelers ignore warnings and stray into the restricted area,” said Danila Chebrov, director of the Kamchatka chapter of the federal geological service.
In Klyuchi, about 47 kilometers from Shiveluch, the skies turned black. Local schools switched to remote classes, and residents were told to stay home and wear a mask if they needed to go outside for any reason, due to the ashfall.
As lava descends from the volcano, it is melting the snow on the slopes of Shiveluch, raising the risks of mudslides. The road along the Kamchatka River, connecting Klyuchi to Mayskoe and Kozyrevsk further inland, is under observation and the authorities recommend people stay clear for now.
A “red alert” for air travel has been declared on the peninsula following the Shiveluch eruption. Air traffic was already being rerouted after Friday’s eruption at Bezymianny, another volcano further south, which resulted in a 12-kilometer ash plume. A 25-kilometer restricted area was declared around both volcanoes, in anticipation of the eruption at Shiveluch.
Shiveluch is one of Kamchatka’s largest volcanoes, and one of the most active on the planet.
