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Shiveluch volcano spews ash column to 4 km height

The eruption poses no danger to the population
Photo ITAR-TASS/ Alexander Petrov
Photo ITAR-TASS/ Alexander Petrov

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, November 1 (Itar-Tass) - Shiveluch Volcano in the Kamchatka Peninsula has again spewed an ash column to a height of 4 km above sea level, the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) reported.

The volcanic outburst was recorded on Friday morning. The eruption lasted for about 10 minutes. There have been no reports about ash fall in nearby settlements. The eruption poses no danger to the population.

Exerts have assigned to Shiveluch the orange aviation colour code - the second-level hazard to aircraft. According to KVERT, the giant mount may start to spew ash to a height of 10 km above sea level at any moment. All the concerned services have been warned about it.

The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry’s (EMERCOM) main department for Kamchatka Krai has advised travel companies not to organise trips to the areas surrounding the volcano. There are no tourist groups there now.

Shiveluch is the northernmost and one of the most active volcanoes of Kamchatka. It has been erupting with short intervals for about 10 years.

The volcano is located 450 km northeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Its altitude is 3,283 metres. The highest point of the active part of the volcano, called Young Shiveluch is at 2.8 km above sea level. The diameter of the volcano base is 45-50 km. The total area - at least 1,300 square km.

The previous periods of the volcano activity intensification had been recorded in 1980-1981 and in 1993-1995, respectively. The most recent eruption of the giant mount that was assessed by scientists as catastrophic was observed in 1964.

The volcano has already erupted earlier this week: Shiveluch spewed ash up to ten km above sea level.

Mid-October, the intensity of the Shiveluch volcano eruption in Kamchatka declined. The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) reduced the level of threat the volcano poses to aircraft, assigning to it the orange aviation colour code, according to the agency.