Volcanologist: heaviest ash rain on Kamchatka in 60 years

Russia’s giant volcano Zhiveluch on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East caused the biggest ash rain in 60 years on Tuesday. In the village of Klyuchi, an 8.5 centimeter thick layer of ash had formed on the ground 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 an amount of ash was last recorded in 1964.

Other cities were also hit. Photos posted on social networks showed a huge cloud of ash. The volcanologists also released videos showing houses, cars and roads covered in a thick layer of ash. A video showed how people push away the gray matter on a blanket of snow with their hands. With a height of more than 3000 meters, the Schiwelutsch is one of the largest volcanoes on the peninsula, which is world famous for its geological activity.

The ash cloud would have reached a height of up to 20 kilometers. The highest red alert level has been declared for air traffic. According to the 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 went out sometimes.

Effects on drinking water

In Klyuchi, residents reported seeing ash-gray liquid coming out of their taps. The Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing the local civil defense, reported that a drinking water supply was organized from a military base. Volcanologists warned that the ash plume could extend from the giant volcano to the regional capital Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 450 kilometers away.

Experts were present to assess the concrete extent of the danger to the population on the sparsely populated peninsula. Accordingly, the volcanologists had been expecting such an eruption from the Schiwelutsch for months. A few days ago, the Besymjanny volcano had blown a column of ash about six miles high into the air.

Located about 4,000 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 Kamchatka Peninsula, 1200 km long and up to 450 km wide, has about 160 volcanoes, very few of which are still active. The volcanic area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (saw/sda/dpa)

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