Russia Raises Aviation Alert to Red as Klyuchevskoy Volcano Eruption Intensifies in Kamchatka

The aviation alert code for the Klyuchevskoy Volcano in the Kamchatka Peninsula, located in Russia’s Far East, has been raised from orange to red following intensified eruptive activity, local authorities said today.
 
Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that a summit explosive-effusive eruption is currently underway. Satellite data shows ash rising up to 9.5 km above sea level, with the ash plume drifting approximately 141 km east-southeast of the volcano. KVERT warned that ash explosions reaching up to 10 km above sea level could occur at any moment, potentially affecting international and low-flying aircraft in the region. Standing at about 4,754 metres, Klyuchevskoy is the highest active volcano in Eurasia.
 
Summit eruptions have intensified following a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake off the Kamchatka Peninsula last week. Earlier, on August 6, a dam near the Klyuchevskoy Volcano was destroyed, raising concerns about potential mudflows and transportation disruptions in the region. Fieldwork conducted from July 30 to August 2 near the Studenaya River revealed that the dam – constructed in 2023 to separate the river’s right and left channels – had collapsed, allowing water to flow freely through both.
 
The Institute of Volcanology and Seismology shared this update on its Telegram channel. Scientists attributed the damage to increased volcanic activity triggered by the powerful earthquake that struck the region on July 30. Lava from the Klyuchevskoy Volcano is currently descending toward the Bogdanovich Glacier, causing accelerated ice melt. The resulting surge of meltwater is cascading down the slopes, generating large-scale mud and debris flows. Experts warn that if these flows continue to intensify, they could pose a direct threat to tourists in the Tolbachinsky Valley.