RUSSIA: Scientists in Kamchatka observe increased activity at the Shiveluch volcano

Record ID: 854595

  • Title: RUSSIA: Scientists in Kamchatka observe increased activity at the Shiveluch volcano
  • Date: 3rd November 2011
  • Summary: PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, RUSSIA (RECENT) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) VULCANOLOGIST OLGA GIRINA SAYING: "We still cannot say definitely whether there will be an eruption in five minutes or in two hours because the volcano is very active and unpredictable, and today it is impossible to fully understand its character. Perhaps the time has not come for
  • Embargoed: 18th November 2011 12:00
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  • Location: Russian Federation
  • City:
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Disasters,Environment,Science
  • Reuters ID: LVA1K7XP396SSA5EG2ZVQI4LBXPA
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  • Story Text: During the last few weeks Russian scientists have observed increased activity at the Shiveluch volcano on Russia's remote and rugged Kamchatka Peninsula.
    Russia's far-eastern Kamchatka, between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Sea of Okhotsk to the west, is located within the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', a continuous 40000-km-long line of volcanoes and fault lines circling the edges of the Pacific Ocean. There are more than 160 volcanoes on the peninsula, of which 22 are active.
    Using a special observation camera installed not far from Shiveluch, scientists have been following its activity and measuring the height of its eruptions.
    The last major eruption was in 2010, but the current level of consistent activity means the volcano is unlikely to produce a huge eruption, a forecast wlecomed by Kamchatka residents.
    "Since October 5 we have been seeing constant glowing avalanches of lava in the area of the mouth of the main volcano, it means that strong eruptions have cleaned the volcano channel and lava is now being ejected, coming out to the surface. In connection with this, eruptions of volcanic material are happening now and reach altitudes of eight to ten kilometres," said Olga Girina, a scientist from the Vulcanology Institute of the Far East branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
    Girina said the volcano's activity was typical. The volcano's mouth increased in size in 1980, then it erupted, spewing out lava and ash in 1993, 2001, 2004, twice in 2005,and in 2007, as well as this year.
    Experts say a serious volcano eruption in the future is possible and Kamchatka still lacks an effective warning system.
    "We still cannot say definitely whether there will be an eruption in five minutes or in two hours because the volcano is very active and unpredictable, and today it is impossible to fully understand its character. Perhaps the time has not come for this yet," said Girina.
    She warned of possible dangers for air traffic in the region as major ash eruptions might hit some international and local routes.
    "Such eruptions, up to eight or ten kilometres, are very dangerous for air traffic because the planes have their routes exactly at these altitudes, that is from eight to eleven kilometres. International airliners have their flights at these altitudes, but also planes of our local air companies are flying here, and they are in danger even when the eruption is five kilometres high," Girina said.
    Volcano activity is fairly common on Kamachatka, but a major eruption has not happened for more than fifty years. The last destructive Shiveluch eruption struck in 1964, the previous one a hundred years earlier.
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