Klyuchevskaya Sopka

Eruptions

Klyuchevskaya Sopka has erupted 110 times during the Holocene Epoch.

Eruptions in the 2000s

2007: Beginning in early January, Klyuchevskaya Sopka began another eruption cycle. Students from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and scientists of the Alaska Volcano Observatory traveled to Kamchatka in the spring to monitor the eruption. On 28 June, the volcano began to experience the largest explosions so far recorded in this eruption cycle. An ash plume from the eruption reached a height of 10. km before drifting eastward, disrupting air traffic between the United States and Asia and causing ashfalls on Alaska's Unimak Island.

Eruptions in the 2010s

2010: As early as 27 February, gas plumes had erupted from Klyuchevskaya Sopka, reaching elevations of 7000. m. During the first week of March, both explosive ash eruptions and effusive lava eruptions occurred until 9 March; the ash cloud was reported to have reached an elevation of 6000. m. As well, significant thermal anomalies have been reported, and gas-steam plumes extended roughly 50. km to the north-east from the volcano beginning on 3 March.

2012: On 15 October, the volcano had a weak eruption that stopped the following day. A weak thermal eruption occurred on 29 November, then stopped again which can be attributable to the larger eruption occurring at neighbouring volcano Tolbachik due to their shared magma chamber.

All of its neighboring volcanoes Bezymianny, Karymsky, Kizimen, Shiveluch, and in particular Tolbachik erupted more actively and continuously, taking a major magma supply load off of Klyuchevskaya Sopka.

January 2013: On 25 January, the volcano had a weak Strombolian eruption that stopped the following day. During January, all volcanoes in the eastern part of Kamchatka—Bezymianny, Karymsky, Kizimen, Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Shiveluch, and Tolbachik—erupted, with the exception of Kamen.

August 2013: On 15 August, the volcano had another weak Strombolian eruption with some slight lava flow that put on an excellent fireworks display before stopping on 21 August 2013, when Gorely Volcano woke up and started erupting again in relief of Klyuchevskaya Sopka.

October 2013: On 12 October, Klyuchevskaya Sopka had another three days of on-and-off eruptions with anomalies and a short ash plume, possibly indicating Strombolian and weak Vulcanian activity. An explosion from a new cinder cone low on Kliuchevskoi's southwest flank occurred on 12 October. An ash plume rose to altitudes of 6 –, and drifted eastward. The eruptions weakened and paused by 16 October 2013.

November/December 2013: On 19 November, a strong explosion occurred, and observers reported that ash plumes rose to altitudes of 10 – and drifted southeast. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Red. Later that day, the altitudes of the ash plumes were lower and the eruptions weakened and stopped again. On 7 December, activity at Kliuchevskoi significantly increased, having continued during 29 November – 7 December, prompting KVERT to raise the Alert Level to Red. Ash plumes rose to altitudes of 5.5 – above sea level and drifted more than 212 km northeast and over 1,000. km east. According to a news article, a warning to aircraft was issued for the area around the volcanoes. Video showed gas-and-steam activity, and satellite images detected a daily weak thermal anomaly. On 9 December, the Alert Level was lowered to Green when the eruptions abruptly stopped.

2015: On 2 January, after a one-year period of inactivity, the volcano had a Strombolian eruption which stopped on 16 January. Minor eruptions resumed on 10 March and stopped on 24 March. On 27 August, the volcano had another Strombolian eruption which ended 16 hours later.

2019: Kluchevskaya Sopka saw renewed eruptive activity beginning in 2019. On 25 October, the volcano had another weak Strombolian eruption which ended some 30 hours later.

Eruptions in the 2020s

2020: The volcano erupted on 9 December.

2022: An eruption started on 20 November.

2023: An eruption started on 22 June. The June eruption follows nearby eruptions on 11 April in other volcanoes in the area. A significant eruptive event occurred as part of ongoing activity on 1 November, sending ash as high as 13 km above sea level and causing flight delays as far away as Vancouver, Canada, on 4–5 November.

2025: An eruption occurred on 30 July, shortly after a large earthquake in Kamchatka. The eruption was not directly caused by the earthquake; activity at the volcano had been observed over the preceding days.

2022 climbing accidents

In September 2022, nine people died while climbing Kluchevskaya Sopka. They were part of a 12-strong group of Russian nationals, which included two guides. Five climbers were killed after a fall at about 4,000 meters. Another four, including a guide, died on the mountainside afterwards. A rescue helicopter managed to land at 1,663 meters at the fourth attempt, bringing rescuers who faced a two-day climb to reach a volcanologists' hut at 3,300 meters where the three survivors were sheltering.

Images

File:Klyuchevskoi.jpg|Klyuchevskaya Sopka in July 2006. File:Klyuchevskaya sopka rad.jpg|Space radar image over SRTM Elevation of Klyuchevskaya Sopka in October 1994. File:Kliuchevskoi satellite photo.jpg|Satellite image of Klyuchevskaya Sopka in April 2010 by NASA. File:Lava and Snow on Klyuchevskaya Volcano 2010-04-07.jpg|Satellite image and map of Klyuchevskaya Sopka in 2002 by NASA. File:Klyuchevskaya Sopka eruption 1994.jpg|The eruption of October 1994. File:Klyuchevskaya ASTER 24feb05.jpg|The eruption of February 2005. File:Lava and Snow on Klyuchevskaya Volcano 2010-02-13.jpg|The eruption of February 2010 taken by NASA ASTER. File:Lava and Snow on Klyuchevskaya Volcano 2010-03-19.jpg|The eruption of March 2010. File:ISS-38 Kliuchevskoi Volcano on Kamchatka.jpg|The eruption of 16 November 2013. Ushkovsky, Tolbachik, Zimina, Udina, and Bezymianny are also visible. File:Ключевской.jpg|Kluchevskaya Sopka. File:Volcano Eruption in Kamchatka Russia 1993.jpg|The eruption of summer 1993. File:V78A7403.jpg|The eruption of July 2016. File:Фейерия.jpg|The eruption of October 2016. File:Ключевской вулкан.jpg|The eruption of June 2020.

References

References

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