Shiveluch volcano active again - 8 May, 2004

Ash is ejected to a height up to 3.7 km from the crater of Russia's northernmost active volcano in Kamchatka (peninsula in Russia's Far East), Shiveluch.

RIA Novosti was told in the Kamchatka seismological expedition that the most powerful column of ash rose over the volcano today. The ejection was accompanied by an earthquake that lasted three minutes.

Seismological stations near the volcano register series of quakes up to 2 points on the Richter scale every day, that take place at a depth of 0.5 km, and spasmodic volcanic tremors.

Aerospace observations show that the dome of the volcano is very hot.

After a long period of quiet, the activity of Shiveluch (3,283 m above the sea level) increased in January this year.

Now the volcano presents no threat to the peninsula's populated localities. It threatens transport communications of the peninsula with mud streams, because the local highway is often eroded by them.

Ash ejections and trails present a threat to aircraft, as volcanic ash particles getting into aircraft turbines may cause malfunctions in mechanisms and sudden ejections complicate navigation.