RuAviation

Seismological activity in the Kamchatka region on 17 August 2024 led to the eruption of one of Russia’s most active volcanoes Sheveluch, located more than 400 km from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. A cloud of ash was ejected to a height of 8 kilometres, causing problems with aircraft overflight, in the area of the Kamchatka Peninsula. The eruption occurred shortly after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake at a depth of 6km beneath the seabed with an epicentre 108km southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.

Rosaviatsia reported that the volcanic activity did not affect the work of air transport in Russia – it continues to work normally, civil aviation flights are carried out according to schedule. However, due to the explosive eruption of Sheveluch, which began after the earthquake, the overflight of airlines from friendly countries has shifted to Russian airspace to ensure safety. The threat level remains high, as there is a possibility of ash emissions up to 10 kilometres high.

Airlines from the US, such as United Airlines, have had to adjust their flight routes to avoid areas with ash. The rerouting information concerns flights to Tokyo, as well as changes to end points at alternate aerodromes for other carriers.

Volcanologists from the Russian Academy of Sciences are warning of possible new seismic events and stronger earthquakes in the region. The Institute of Volcanology and Seismology presented video footage showing an ash cloud extending 490 kilometres east and southeast of Shiveluch. The flyby routes from North America to Japan and Southeast Asia are more than 500 kilometres away from the volcano.

In addition to Sheveluch, the eruption of the Ebeko volcano in the Kuril Islands, which threw ash to a height of 2.5 kilometres, has also been reported. The situation in Kamchatka and surrounding areas raises concerns that stronger tremors could be a prelude to an earthquake with a magnitude approaching 9.0. Such a scenario could seriously affect people and infrastructure in the region. So far, according to Russian emergency services, there have been no reports of casualties as a result of the earthquake.