Kamchatka Volcano Activates, No Threat To Settlements Yet
The Kamchatka branch of the Geophysics Monitoring Service under the Russian Academy of Sciences said around 250 local earth tremors were registered on the volcano grounds over the past twenty-four hours. An ashy tail has spread to 47 kilometers south of the volcano. No signs of volcanic eruption have been found in settlements yet, it said.
Shiveluch is one of the most active volcanoes in Kamchatka. Its eruption has an explosion-like character with the eruption force growing from year to year, Deputy Director of the Institute for Volcanic Studies Yaroslav Muravyov told Tass.
The volcano has been under incessant observation. The nearest settlement of Klyuchi with a population of around 5,000 is located 50 kilometers from the volcano.
On March 29, the heaviest volcano discharge over the past five years was registered, the volcanic fumes rose to the height of approximately ten kilometers above the sea level. Mudflows that rushed from the top blockaded approximately 900 meters on the Klyuchi-Ust- Kamchatsk motorway that runs some 20 kilometers from the foot of the volcano. The mudflows paralyzed traffic on the motorway. At present, traffic is allowed only for vehicles with a powerful cross-country capacity.