Strong explosive eruption at Sheveluch volcano, Aviation Color Code raised to Red, Russia
A strong explosive eruption began at Russia’s Sheveluch volcano at 09:20 UTC on November 7, 2024. The eruption produced significant volcanic ash emissions, with an ash plume reaching altitudes of 11 km (36 000 feet) above sea level. The ash cloud is drifting east-northeast, posing a threat to aviation.
Thick, dark ash emissions and volcanic lightning observed during Sheveluch eruption on November 7, 2024. Image credit: KVERT
A strong explosive eruption took place at Sheveluch volcano in Kamchatka, Russia on November 7, prompting the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) to raise the Aviation Color Code to Red at 10:27 UTC.
The ash plume was observed to reach an altitude of 11 000 m (36 000 feet), drifting east-north-east of the volcano.
KVERT advisory noted this eruption may have significant impacts on flight paths, with ash columns up to 15 km (49 200 feet) possible at any time.
The ash cloud drifted at a speed of 18 km/h (11 mph) toward the east-northeast.
The eruption has been marked by striking volcanic lightning and may have also triggered pyroclastic flows, though low visibility during the night has made it difficult to confirm this.
The Aviation Color Code remains at Red, indicating a high risk to aviation travel.
Sheveluch is located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia, north-northeast of the Kliuchevskaya volcanic group, a hotspot for volcanic activity.
This 1 300 km3 (311 mi3) andesitic stratovolcano has seen at least 60 large eruptions during the Holocene.
Its summit is marked by the remnants of the Stary Shiveluch, a roughly 65 000 year old structure, which is truncated by a 9 km (5 miles) wide late-Pleistocene caldera that was breached to the south.
Numerous lava domes dot the outer flanks of Sheveluch, with the Molodoy Shiveluch lava dome complex forming within the caldera during the Holocene.
Frequent collapses of lava dome complexes have been a significant feature of Sheveluch’s eruption history.
A major collapse occurred in 1964, resulting in debris avalanches that covered much of the floor of the breached caldera.
References:
1 VOLCANO OBSERVATORY NOTICE FOR AVIATION (VONA) – KVERT – November 7, 2024
2 Sheveluch volcano geological summary – GVP – Accessed November 7, 2024
3 Volcanic Ash Advisory Text – Tokyo VAAC – November 7, 2024
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