Shiveluch volcano eruption in Russia’s Kamchatka chokes villages with ash – latest

One of Russia’s most active volcanoes has erupted, shooting a vast ash cloud up 20km into the sky and choking nearby villages in thick drifts of dust.

The Shiveluch volcano erupted just after midnight and triggered a “red” aviation warning around Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.

Within six hours of the eruption, ash had spewed over an area of 108,000 square kilometres, according to the Kamchatka Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Geophysical Survey.

Lava flows tumbled from the volcano, melting snow and prompting a warning of mud flows along a nearby highway while villages were carpeted in drifts of grey ash as deep as 8.5 centimeters, the deepest in 60 years.

Some schools in the Kamchatka peninsula, about 6,800 km east of Moscow, were closed and residents ordered to stay indoors, head of the Ust-Kamchatsky municipal region Oleg Bondarenko said in a Telegram post.

He said residents’ power had been restored and that drinking water was being supplied.

Key Points

• Huge Russian volcano erupts with threat to European flights

Huge Russian volcano erupts with threat to European flights

09:13 , Emily Atkinson

An aviation warning has been triggered following an eruption from one of Russia’s most active volcanos, with a huge cloud of ash shot into the sky.

The Shiveluch volcano, in the country’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, erupted just after midnight and reached its climax six hours later, sending out a cloud of ash over an area of 108,000 square kilometres, according to the Kamchatka Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Geophysical Survey.

Villages have been carpeted in drifts of grey ash almost 10 centimetres deep, according to Reuters, the deepest in 60 years. Lava flows have been pouring down the side of the volcano, melting snow and prompting a mud flow warning.

Benjamin Parker reports:

Huge Russian volcano erupts with threat to European flights

Drifts of grey ash choke neighbouring villeages

09:24 , Emily Atkinson

Shiveluch volcano erupted just after midnight, shooting a vast ash cloud up 20km into the sky and choking nearby villages in thick drifts of dust.

“The ash reached 20 kilometres high, the ash cloud moved westwards and there was a very strong fall of ash on nearby villages,” said Danila Chebrov, director of the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Survey told Reuters.

“The volcano was preparing for this for at least a year... and the process is continuing though it has calmed a little now,” Chebrov said.

He said the volcano would probably calm now, but that further major ash clouds could not be excluded. He said lava flows should not reach local villages.

Watch: Russia’s Shiveluch volcano erupts

09:36 , Emily Atkinson

One of Kamchatka’s largest and most active volcanoes, Shiveluch has had an estimated 60 substantial eruptions in the past 10,000 years, the last major one being in 2007.

It has two main parts, the smaller of which – Young Shiveluch – scientists have reported as being extremely active in recent months, with a peak of 2,800 metres (9,186 feet) that protrudes out of the 3,283 metre-high Old Shiveluch.

Scientists posted pictures of the ash cloud billowing swiftly over the forests and rivers of the far east and of villages covered in ash. One posted a picture of the depth of the ash fall - more than 8 centimetres deep.

Schools closed and residents ordered to stay indoors after eruption

09:56 , Joe Middleton

Some schools on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula peninsula, about 6,800 km east of Moscow, are closed and residents have been ordered to stay indoors, head of the Ust-Kamchatsky municipal region Oleg Bondarenko said in a Telegram post.

“Because what I have just seen here with my own eyes, it will be impossible for children to go to school, and in general, the presence of children here is questionable,” Mr Bondarenko said.

He said residents’ power had been restored and drinking water was being supplied.

Russian street buried in ash after Shiveluch volcano erupts

10:19 , Joe Middleton

A street in Russia was buried in ash after the Shiveluch volcano sent an apocalyptic cloud of smoke 20kms into the sky on Tuesday, 11 April.

An area of 108,000 square kilometres was covered in ash within six hours of the eruption, the Kamchatka Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Geophysical Survey said.

Villages close to the volcano were covered in a layer of grey ash of up to 8.5cm, the deepest in 60 years.

Russian street buried in ash after Shiveluch volcano erupts

10:50 , Joe Middleton