The Zhiveluch volcano on the far eastern Russian peninsula of Kamchatka today unleashed the largest ash rain in 60 years.
An 8.5 centimeter thick layer of ash had formed on the ground in the village of Klyuchi within four hours, said the director of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Alexey Ozerov.
The last time such a quantity of ash was recorded in the village, which is 47 kilometers away from the volcano, was in 1964.
Red alert for air traffic
The ash cloud threatens to affect air traffic in the region. The Russian volcano observatory KVERT issued a red alert warning for air traffic. “The ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft,” it said. The cloud is said to have reached a height of 20 kilometers.
Shiveluch is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Kamchatka. The main air route between the USA and Japan is along the Russian Peninsula. Ash clouds can paralyze air traffic over large areas.
