Kamchatka’s Shivelush volcano emits ash to altitude of 7 km

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, August 8 (Itar-Tass) —— The Shiveluch volcano on Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula has spewed ash to an altitude of seven kilometres above sea level, a spokesman for the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) told Itar-Tass on Monday.

The ash emission was observed from the settlement of Klyuchi located 50 kilometers away from the foot of the giant mount. An ash cloud has drifted 118 kilometres to the south-east off the volcano.

Shiveluch is the northernmost active volcano of the Kamchatka Peninsula. Its absolute height is 3,283 metres. The highest point of its active part, called Young Shiveluch, is 2,008 metres above sea level. The diameter of the volcano’s foot is 45-50 kilometres, its total area is at least 1,300 square kilometers. It is one of the largest volcanic structures of Kamchatka. Weak and moderate eruptions that last from several months to 2–3 years are characteristic of the volcano. Latest active periods were in 1980-1981 and in 1993-1995. Shiveluch’s most recent catastrophic eruption occurred in November 1964.

Molodoi Sheveluch became active in September 1980. It is subject to permanent observation for 30 years by now.

According to expert assessments, the volcano does not pose any risk for the Kamchatkan population centers at the moment.

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