A volcano in Russia’s far east on Wednesday spewed ash several kilometres into the sky, authorities said, putting on a spectacular display in its latest eruption.
The Shiveluch volcano is one the largest and most active volcanoes on Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula, one of the most intense volcanic regions in the world.
Its latest eruption produced an ash column reaching nearly 9,000 metres (29,500 feet) above sea level, the local branch of Russia’s Academy of Sciences wrote on Telegram, accompanied by a video.
An orange aviation alert — one below the maximum red — has been issued for the area near the volcano, the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) said on Telegram.
With a height of 3,300 metres, Shiveluch is located some 450 kilometres (280 miles) north of the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the peninsula’s main city.
It’s estimated to be between 60,000-70,000 years old.
The volcanoes of Kamchatka have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, with the organisation calling the peninsula “one of the most outstanding volcanic regions in the world” where the “interplay of active volcanoes and glaciers forms a dynamic landscape of great beauty.”
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