| Kizimen | |
|---|---|
Kizimen Volcano Russia, 6 Jan. 2011 |
|
| Elevation | 2,376 m (7,795 ft) |
| Prominence | 1,530 m (5,020 ft) |
| Listing | Ultra |
| Location | |
| Location | Kamchatka, Russia |
| Geology | |
| Type | Stratovolcano |
| Last eruption | 2011 (ongoing) |
Kizimen (Russian: Кизимен) is a stratovolcano located in the southern part of Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia.
The volcano was in a dormant state since an eruption in 1929, but on the second of September 2009 it was reported by Georgina Cooper for the Reuters news agency that the crater lake temperature had risen 10 degrees Celsius in a week and plumes of steam were rising from its flanks.[1] The activity continued throughout 2010, with the formation of new fumaroles reported in November[2]. Seismic activity and ash emission continued to build over the following weeks, and in January 2011 a hotspot was recorded, indicating the presence of lava. In early February 2011 the volcano sent a column of ash several kilometres high. Air traffic was alerted and told to avoid the area.[3]
As of April 2011, it has been reported that the volcanic activity and ash are threatening the endangered wild reindeer of the area. [4]
The volcano is not well understood, and research[5] has indicated that the volcano could erupt in a similar fashion to the catastrophic 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens.