PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, December 13 (Itar-Tass) —— The volcano Plosky Tolbachik is erupting the vapour, gas and ash at the height of four kilometres in Kamchatka. The luminescence is observed in the nighttime in the active zone of the fracture and over the lava fields near Tolbachinsky Dol at the southern slope of the volcano, the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences told Itar-Tass on Thursday.
The gigantic volcano, which started erupting on November 27 after 36 years of dormition, retains the high seismic activity. The fire aura over the fracture in the active eruption zone points to the fresh lava, the specialists noted. According to the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the gigantic volcano erupts over 1,000 tonnes of volcanic pieces each second. However, there is no threat to the settlements. The lava flows, which stretched out for 13 kilometres, almost stopped the movement forward, but the height of the lava fields keeps growing. In some places, according to the experts, the lava height has already reached ten meters.
The territorial authorities urged people to refrain from any trips in the eruption zone. Emergency rescuers were put on constant duty at the volcano. The road police were ordered to deploy additional posts for the restricted access of vehicles to Tolbachinsky Dol. The tourism companies were recommended not to arrange trips to the gigantic volcano.
Despite the restrictions and recommendations the extreme tourists are seeking to get in the dangerous area. People are offered to make trips to the gigantic volcano. The price of this tour makes about 5,000 roubles, according to local media.
The eruption of the gigantic volcano continues. A fracture stretching at up to five kilometres with two active eruption zones is observed in Tolbachinsky Dol, south of Plosky Tolbachik at the height of about 1,700 kilometres above the sea level.
In the first days after the start of the eruption Plosky Tolbachik destroyed two camps of volcanologists and a tourism base at the bottom of the volcano. The lava flows blocked the road, which is leading to Tolbachinsky Dol, which is used frequently by the tourists. Other facilities, including the communication lines, were not damaged in the eruption.
The volcano is situated in eastern Kamchatka 343 kilometres away from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The eruption is under constant monitoring. The experts still refrain from any forecasts over the duration of the eruption.