An Eruption of Bezymianny Volcano Began in Kamchatka

An eruption of Bezymianny volcano happened in Kamchatka for the first time since 2017. It began approximate at 7 pm (Moscow time) on Sunday, January 20. Volcano was marked with the "red" code of aviation hazard.

Bezymianny volcano is located near Klyuchevskaya Sopka. The nearest settlements are Kozyrevsk and Klyuchi villages of the Ust-Kamchatka region located 40 kilometers away. The distance to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is about 500 kilometers. The height of the volcano is 2882 meters above sea level. The volcano was considered to be extinct until 1955, when its eruption began on October 22. It was of a moderate nature until March 30, 1956. However, a strong explosion occurred on the volcano, the height of ash emissions was up to 40 kilometers on this day. The eruption of 1956 was one of the largest on a global scale. This was the first catastrophic eruption studied in detail by experts.  The Day of the volcanologist is celebrated on March 30 in memory of this event.

The height of ash emissions was up to 10 kilometers above sea level according to satellite data from the Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT). A cloud of ash spread northwestward from the volcano at a distance of about 600 kilometers. The volcano is currently moderately active, but ash emissions to an altitude of up to 10 kilometers can occur at any time. No ash has been noted in the settlements according to the regional emergency department.

Bezymianny volcano erupted in December 2017 last time. Then an ash emission was noted at a height of 15 kilometers.

Let us recall that there are more than three hundred volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula, about thirty of them are active. There is Klyuchevskaya Sopka - the highest active volcano on the Eurasian continent. Many famous giants are located on the territory of the Kronotsky reserve on the peninsula. These are Kronotsky, Kizimen, Kikhpinych, Gamchen, Vysokiy, Townshits and Krasheninnikov. Ilyinsky, Kosheleva, Kambalny and Wild Crest volcanoes are active in the South Kamchatka reserve. Scientists are constantly monitoring the volcanoes taking into account the restless nature of these famous giants.