https://phys.org/news/2023-11-eruption-eurasia-tallest-volcano-ash.htmlEruptions from the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano sent ash as high as 13 kilometers (8 miles) above sea level, officials said.
There were no reports of injuries, but officials ordered schools in Ust-Kamchatsk and Klyuchy closed as a precaution. Each town has a population of about 5,000. Klyuchy is located about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the volcano and Ust-Kamchatsk 50 kilometers (30 miles) away.
The 4,650-meter (15,255-foot) stratovolcano has been active in recent years and released lava in June.
The Kamchatka Peninsula, which extends into the Pacific Ocean about 6,700 kilometers (4,100 miles) east of Moscow, is noted for its array of active and dormant volcanoes, geysers and geothermal springs.
https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=300260KVERT reported that the Strombolian eruption at Klyuchevskoy continued during 20-29 October and a daily bright thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images. Lava fountains sometimes rose as high as 500 m above the summit and fed lava flows that descended the Apakhonchichsky and Kozyrevsky drainages on the SE and S flanks. Phreatic explosions were sometimes generated from the interaction with lava and glaciers on the flanks and caused collapses of older deposits in the drainages. Plumes of the previously deposited ash generally rose as high as 7 km (23,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 280 km NE, E, and SE during 22-29 October, though on 23 and 29 October plumes rose as high as 8 km (26,200 ft) a.s.l. Scientists at the Kamchatka Volcanological Station visited the volcano on 28 October and noted that the cinder cone at the summit had grown. They also observed advancing lava on the E flank that extended about 2 km from the summit to 2,700 m elevation, incandescent material being ejected 500 m above the crater, and avalanches in the Apakhonchichsky drainage. Ash plumes rose more than 2 km.
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152037/volcanic-plume-billows-from-klyuchevskoyEruption activity escalated at the Klyuchevskoy volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in autumn 2023. When the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensor on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this image on November 1, 2023, the ash plume from Klyuchevskoy (also Kliuchevskoi) rose as high as 12 kilometers (40,000 feet) above sea level. The plume extended 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) to the east-southeast, reported the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT).
The eruption of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka in October/November 2023 was significant, with large volumes of ash and lava expelled. The ash plume reached several kilometers into the atmosphere, causing substantial ash fall in the surrounding areas and impacting air travel in the region.
As of the latest reports, there were no direct casualties or injuries caused by the eruption. However, the local authorities had issued evacuation orders for nearby villages and set up temporary shelters to ensure the safety of residents.
The immediate environmental impacts included widespread ash deposition, which can affect water sources, soil fertility, and plant life. The eruption also led to temporary changes in local air quality and could potentially impact the climate in the region if the ash and gases released have a broader atmospheric influence.
Air travel was significantly disrupted due to the ash clouds, which pose a serious risk to aircraft. Several flights were cancelled or rerouted, and airports in the vicinity were temporarily closed. Additionally, local infrastructure such as roads and communication networks suffered damages due to the ash fall and minor seismic activities.
The government swiftly implemented emergency response strategies, including evacuating residents from high-risk areas, deploying emergency services to manage road clearances and structural assessments, and setting up communication channels to keep the public informed. Financial aid was also allocated for the affected regions to aid in recovery and rebuilding efforts.