Red alert in Kamchatka: Klyuchevskoy volcano spews lava, threatens towns

The Klyuchevskoy volcano in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula has been elevated to a “red” aviation hazard level, signalling a significant escalation in volcanic activity, according to a statement from the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) published on its official website.

The previous aviation code for the volcano was “orange.”

KVERT reported that the explosive eruption at the volcano’s summit is ongoing. Satellite observations confirmed that ash plumes have risen to 9.5 kilometres above sea level and extended approximately 141 kilometres southeast of the volcano.

The ash cloud is drifting northeast, toward the Bering Sea, and poses a threat to nearby settlements, including Ust-Kamchatsk and Krutoberegovy.

Authorities had earlier warned residents of a potential paroxysmal eruption after the volcano released an ash column reaching 12 kilometres high.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations continues to urge both locals and tourists to avoid the area entirely. Tour operators and hiking groups have been advised to immediately adjust their routes to steer clear of the hazard zone.

In addition to ash emissions, the volcano is spewing lava almost continuously, with fountains reaching heights of about 500 meters.

On August 4, Klyuchevskaya Sopka hurled incandescent volcanic bombs several hundred meters above the crater, while lava flows extended up to 3 kilometres and approached the Bogdanovich glacier.

Experts link the heightened volcanic activity to the powerful earthquake that struck Kamchatka on July 30, the strongest to hit the peninsula in the last 70 years. The quake affected nearly the entire region and is believed to have triggered the current surge in volcanic unrest.

By Tamilla Hasanova