Shiveluch


Shiveluch is the northernmost active volcano in Kamchatka Krai, Russia. It, and Karymsky are Kamchatka's largest, and most active and most continuous erupting volcanoes.

History

Shiveluch began forming about 60,000 to 70,000 years ago, and it has had at least 60 large eruptions during the Holocene. During this era, the most intense period of volcanism — including frequent large and moderate eruptions — occurred around 6500–6400 BC, 2250–2000 BC, and AD 50–650. This coincides with the peak of activity in other Kamchatka volcanoes. The current active period started around 900 BC. Since then, the large and moderate eruptions have been following each other at 50 to 400 year-long intervals. Catastrophic eruptions took place in 1854 and 1956, when a large part of the lava dome collapsed and created a devastating debris avalanche.
The most recent eruption of Young Shiveluch started on August 15, 1999, and continues. On February 27, 2015 Shiveluch erupted shooting ash into the atmosphere about 30,000 feet crossing the Bering Sea and into Alaska.

Characteristics

Shiveluch belongs to the Kliuchevskaya volcano group. There are three elements of the volcano: the stratovolcano Old Shiveluch ; an ancient caldera; and the active Young Shiveluch, with an elevation of about 2,800 metres. Shiveluch is one of Kamchatka's largest and most active volcanic structures. It is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of solidified ash, hardened lava and volcanic rocks.
The nearest settlement from the volcano is Klyuchi, situated 50 km from the mountain. The settlement is small enough to evacuate rapidly in case of a major eruption.

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