Shiveluch Volcano in Russia’s Kamchatka Territory Throws Ash at 4.3 Miles

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY (Sputnik) – The Shiveluch volcano has spewed out a column of ash to a height of 7 kilometres above sea level on Thursday, the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Far Eastern Branch said in a statement.

"Early on Thursday local time, an emission of an ash plume occurred at the Shiveluch volcano. According to video data, its height amounted to 7 kilometres above sea level. The ash trail is stretching to the north of the giant," the statement read.

KVERT noted that the "orange" alert level had been issued for Shiveluch, meaning that air traffic in the area might be dangerous as the volcano could spew out ash columns to the altitude of 8-10 kilometres any time.

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The local branch of the Russian Emergencies Ministry said that no ash showers had been seen in the nearby settlements.

Shiveluch is the northernmost active volcano in Kamchatka. The volcano has been erupting since the spring of 2009 and its eruptions are mostly of explosive nature.