The giant Russian volcano Zhiveluch on the Far Eastern peninsula of Kamchatka triggered the largest ash rain in 60 years on Tuesday. An 8.5 centimeter thick layer of ash had formed on the ground in the village of Klyuchi within four hours, said the director of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Alexey Ozerov. In the village closest to the volcano, 47 kilometers away, such a quantity of ash was last recorded in 1964.
Red alert for air traffic
Other towns were also affected. A huge cloud of ash could be seen in pictures on social networks. The volcanologists also released videos showing houses, cars and roads covered with a thick layer of ash. A clip showed how people pushed away the gray mass on a blanket of snow with their hands. At more than 3000 meters high, the Schiweluch is one of the largest volcanoes on the peninsula, which is world-famous for its geological activity.
The ash cloud is said to have reached a height of up to 20 kilometers. The highest red alert level has been declared for air traffic. According to authorities, the ash rain continued. The particles fell to the ground, partly mixed with snow. People were asked not to leave their homes. Schools canceled classes. The power supply failed at times.
In Klyuchi, residents reported that ash-gray liquid came out of their taps. The Russian newspaper “Kommersant”, citing the local civil defense, reported that a supply of drinking water was being organized from a military base. Volcanologists warned that the ash plume could extend from the giant volcano to the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 450 kilometers away.
Kamchatka as a place of longing
Experts were on duty to assess the concrete extent of the danger for the population on the sparsely populated peninsula. According to this, the volcanologists had been expecting such an eruption of the Schiweluch for months. A few days ago, the Besymjanny volcano had blown an ash column about ten kilometers high into the air. Geologists released photos of lava and fumes escaping from the volcano.
Located about 4000 miles east of Moscow, the peninsula is one of the world’s highest concentrations of geothermal activity, with some 30 active volcanoes. Because of its volcanoes, geysers and thermal springs, Kamchatka is a dream destination for many nature lovers. The 1200 km long and up to 450 km wide peninsula of Kamchatka has around 160 volcanoes, but only very few of them are still active. The volcanic region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
