Kamchatkan and Northern Kurile Volcanic Activity
INFORMATION RELEASE 01-06
Friday, January 06, 2006, 11:00 KST (23:00 UTC on January 05)

SUMMARY OF LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODES:

KAMCHATKA:
KARYMSKY : ORANGE
SHEVELUCH and BEZYMIANNY: YELLOW
KLYUCHEVSKOY, TOLBACHIK PLOSKY, KIZIMEN, AVACHINSKY, KORYAKSKY, MUTNOVSKY and GORELY: GREEN

NORTHERN KURILE:
EBEKO: YELLOW
CHIKURACHKI and ALAID: GREEN

KARYMSKY VOLCANO: 54°03'N, 159°27'E; Elevation 1,486 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE.

Seismic activity indicated that ash explosions from the summit crater continues. Ash explosions up to 6 km (or 26,300 ft.) ASL are possible.

According to seismic data, possible nine ash plumes rose up to 2.7-4.5 km (8,900-14,800 ft.) ASL from December 29 to January 04, except December 30. Thermal anomaly over the dome was noted on December 30. The volcano was obscured by clouds on the other time.

SHEVELUCH VOLCANO: 56°38'N, 161°19'E;
Elevation 3,283 m, the dome elevation ~2,500 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW.

Growth of the lava dome continues, but seismic activity did not exceed background levels all week. Ash explosions up to 6 km (19,600 ft.) ASL could occur at any time.

Seismic and fumarolic activity of the lava dome continues. Thermal anomaly over the lava dome was noted on December 30-31 and January 01 and 03.

BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO: 55°58'N, 160°36'E; Elevation 2,895 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW.

Seismic activity did not exceed background levels all week. Based on past experience with Bezymianny, a viscous lava flow is probably active at the summit lava dome. There are no indications that an explosive eruption is imminent.

Fumarolic activity of the lava dome continues. Thermal anomaly at the lava dome was registered on December 30.

EBEKO VOLCANO, Paramushir Island, Northern Kurile:
50°41'N, 156°01'E Elevation 1,156 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW.

Ebeko volcano is not monitored with seismic instruments. KVERT uses satellite monitoring and receives occasional visual observations from Paramushir Island. Moderate fumarolic activity of the volcano continues. The danger of sudden ash explosions up to 3 km (9,840 ft.) ASL exists.