Shiveluch volcano in Russia erupts spectacularly, sending an ash plume 9,000 metres high and prompting an aviation alert in the remote Kamchatka region.
MOSCOW: A volcano in Russia’s far east has erupted, spewing ash several kilometres into the sky in a spectacular display.
The Shiveluch volcano, one of the largest and most active on the Kamchatka Peninsula, produced an ash column reaching nearly 9,000 metres above sea level.
An orange aviation alert has been issued for the area near the volcano, one level below the maximum red warning.
The local branch of Russia’s Academy of Sciences shared a video of the eruption on Telegram.
Shiveluch stands 3,300 metres high and is located about 450 kilometres north of the peninsula’s main city, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
The volcano is estimated to be between 60,000 and 70,000 years old.
The volcanoes of Kamchatka are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised as one of the world’s most outstanding volcanic regions.
UNESCO notes the “interplay of active volcanoes and glaciers forms a dynamic landscape of great beauty.”
