The local government has temporarily closed all educational institutions in two nearby towns due to increased activity at the Klyuchevskoy volcano on Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. On Wednesday, the authorities also closed parts of the two road connections to the town of Klyuchi, which is only around 30 kilometers from the volcano’s summit.
According to a report by the state news agency Tass, citing the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Academy of Sciences, a 14 kilometer high column of smoke was recorded.
The authorities justified the closure of schools, kindergartens and educational institutions in the morning due to ashfall in the region. Civil defense called on the population to avoid the volcano and to refrain from driving to and from Klyuchi.
The approximately 4.85 thousand meter high Klyuchevskoy volcano (also known as Klyuchevskaya Sopka) is considered one of the highest active volcanoes in Eurasia. According to Russian media, his most recent activity began in June. However, for several weeks now, the volcano has been spewing clouds of ash almost every day.
