In a dramatic sequence of events, the Sheveluch volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula erupted today, shortly after a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the region. It is possible that the earthquake, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, could have triggered the eruption by destabilising the magma chamber beneath Shiveluch, leading to a sudden increase in pressure.
The eruption generated a massive ash plume, reaching an estimated altitude of 9km high (Tokyo VAAC). Volcanic ash has been dispersed across a wide swathe of the Kamchatka Peninsula to a distance of almost 1000 km. It also produced a remarkable display of volcanic lightning.
The Aviation Color Code has been raised to Red.
The Shiveluch volcano, located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, is one of the most active and explosive volcanoes in the world. It is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of lava flows, ash, and pyroclastic deposits. Shiveluch is characterised by its frequent eruptions, which often produce large ash plumes, pyroclastic flows, and lahars. The volcano’s activity is driven by the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate, which generates magma that rises to the surface.
Image sources: Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, NOAA, Tokyo VAAC, Himawari-9