The Alaska Volcano Observatory recently announced that the Pavlof volcano erupted on Tuesday and sent an ash plume upwards of 28,000 feet into the sky. The ashes are drifting west, according to satellite data and pilot reports, but the entire ordeal is becoming a major issue for locals.
The massive eruption came roughly 625 miles southwest of Anchorage, and it has caused issues for flights in the area. According to Reuters , PenAir vice president Missy Roberts has said that the airline company has already been forced to cancel one flight and reroute another to avoid the ash plume.
The observatory has also noted that Pavlof has showered the town of King Cove with dust. The town is located about 30 miles southwest of Pavlof and is home to around 900 people.
The powerful blast took place late Monday night and into Tuesday, which led the National Weather Service to issue an ash advisory for the region. The advisory due to the Alaska volcano warned locals of breathing problems for those who suffer from respiratory ailments.
It also noted the potential damage due to exposed electronic equipment.The last sign of burst activity from Pavlof came in May when lava fountains were recognized by locals from nearby towns.
Outside of affecting local flights, some experts expect similar results to that of the past. David Schneider, a geophysicist with the US Geological Survey, explained his thoughts on what locals should expect.
“So far there’s been trace amounts of ash, so it’s just a fine coating,” he said, according to FOX 31 Denver . “Our best estimate of what is going to happen is similar to what’s happened in the past — this level of activity and some level of ash.”
Pavlof is a snow-covered, cone-shaped mountain that has seen an increasing amount of seismic activity as of late. It’s expected to slow down though more ashes from the Alaska volcano could hit the surface during the process.
