https://apnews.com/article/russia-v...ka-shiveluch-bd7c09dfd583d2461e537ecae113936dThe Shiveluch volcano erupted early Tuesday on Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, spewing clouds of dust 20 kilometers (65,600 feet) into the sky and covering broad areas with ash.
The ash cloud from the eruption of Shiveluch, one of Kamchatka’s most active volcanoes, extended over 500 kilometers (more than 300 miles) northwest and engulfed several villages in grey volcanic dust.
Officials closed the skies over the area to aircraft. Local authorities advised residents to stay indoors and shut schools in several affected communities. Two villages had their power supplies cut for a few hours until emergency crews restored them.
Ash fell on 108,000 square kilometers (41,699 square miles) of territory, according to the regional branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Geophysical Survey. Scientists described the fallout as the biggest in nearly 60 years.
The village of Klyuchi, which is located about 50 kilometers (some 30 miles) from the volcano, was covered by an 8-centimeter (3-inch) layer of dust. Residents posted videos showing the ash cloud plunging the area into darkness.
Geological Summary. The high, isolated massif of Sheveluch volcano (also spelled Shiveluch) rises above the lowlands NNE of the Kliuchevskaya volcano group. The 1,300 km3 andesitic volcano is one of Kamchatka's largest and most active volcanic structures, with at least 60 large eruptions during the Holocene. The summit of roughly 65,000-year-old Stary Shiveluch is truncated by a broad 9-km-wide late-Pleistocene caldera breached to the south. Many lava domes occur on its outer flanks. The Molodoy Shiveluch lava dome complex was constructed during the Holocene within the large open caldera; Holocene lava dome extrusion also took place on the flanks of Stary Shiveluch. Widespread tephra layers from these eruptions have provided valuable time markers for dating volcanic events in Kamchatka. Frequent collapses of dome complexes, most recently in 1964, have produced debris avalanches whose deposits cover much of the floor of the breached caldera.
Shiveluch Volcano, also known as Sheveluch, is one of the largest and most active volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. It consists of two parts: the Old Shiveluch, which is mostly extinct, and the Young Shiveluch, which is highly active and known for frequent explosive eruptions and pyroclastic flows.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is a 1,250-kilometer-long peninsula in the Russian Far East, extending into the Pacific Ocean. It is located in the northeastern part of Russia and is known for its high density of volcanoes, forming part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The eruption of Shiveluch Volcano is primarily driven by the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the North American Plate. This tectonic activity leads to the melting of mantle materials, which then rise through the crust, causing volcanic eruptions when pressure builds up.
The eruption of Shiveluch Volcano can produce several hazards, including pyroclastic flows, ash fall, and lahars. Pyroclastic flows are fast-moving currents of hot gas and volcanic matter that can destroy everything in their path. Ash fall can affect air quality and disrupt transportation, while lahars, which are mudflows or debris flows composed of volcanic material, can bury communities and disrupt river channels.
Local communities and authorities typically respond to eruptions by implementing evacuation plans, establishing exclusion zones around the volcano, and constantly monitoring volcanic activity. They also provide public advisories and updates to keep residents and visitors informed about safety measures and changes in volcanic activity.