Alaska News

Alert level raised at Alaska volcano as eruption escalates

The Alaska Volcano Observatory on Monday said that an eruption at Pavlof Volcano had prompted a heightened alert level as the volcano spat out an ash cloud that reached 22,000 feet and stretched for about 50 miles to the east of the peak.

The activity prompted volcanologists to raise the alert level at the volcano to "warning" and the aviation color code to "red," indicating "eruption is underway or suspected with significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere," according to the AVO.

Pavlof Volcano sits on the Alaska Peninsula, 36 miles northeast of the community of Cold Bay, which boasts one of the state's longest runways.

The alert level at Pavlof was initially raised Saturday when the volcano demonstrated elevated surface temperatures and a pilot in the area reported an ash and gas plume at around 7,000 feet elevation.

Alaska Dispatch

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