Volcanic ash covering the ground in Ust-Kamchatsky district after the Shiveluch volcano’s eruption in Russia on 11 April
Associated Press/Alamy Stock Photo
The Shiveluch volcano, located in Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, erupted on 11 April, sending a massive cloud of ash into the sky and covering nearby villages. This volcano is one of the most active in Russia, with its last major eruption occurring in 2007.
Reports indicate that up to 8.5 centimetres of volcanic ash have settled in the village of Klyuchi. According to Danila Chebrov, director of Russia’s Geophysical Survey, the ash reached a height of 20 kilometres and moved westward, resulting in a heavy ashfall on the neighboring villages.
The eruption has triggered warnings for aviation, with the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) issuing a red notice. They stated that ash explosions up to 15 kilometres high could occur at any time, potentially affecting international and low-flying aircraft.
In addition to local consequences, such as ash covering roads and cars in the Ust-Kamchatsky district, this eruption may have global implications. If the ash plume reached a height of 20 kilometres, it could have penetrated the stratosphere. In the stratosphere, volcanic gases like sulphur dioxide can condense and form sulphate aerosols, which reflect sunlight and have a short-term cooling effect on the Earth’s surface. The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, for example, resulted in a cooling effect for three years following the eruption.
The Kamchatka Peninsula, often referred to as the “land of fire and ice,” is known for its high concentration of volcanic activity. It is home to 29 active volcanoes, and the Shiveluch volcano has erupted approximately 60 times in the past 10,000 years.
