Volcano In Russia's Far East Erupts, Spewing Ash 20 Kilometers Into The Air

Smoke and ash are visible during the Shiveluch volcano's eruption on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia on April 11. One of Russia's most active volcanoes, Shiveluch spewed clouds of ash 20 kilometers into the sky.

A satellite image captures the smoke and ash plume from the erupting Shiveluch volcano on April 12.  The volcano has been erupting continuously since 1999, though typically not with the same level of ferocity as the explosion on April 11.

In this photo provided by the Russian Academy of Sciences' Volcanology Institute, volcanic ash covers the ground and trees following the Shiveluch volcano's eruption near the village of Klyuchi on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia on April 11.

Several Russian villages were covered in volcanic ash.
 

Over the past 10,000 years, Shiveluch has experienced more than 60 significant eruptions, with the most recent one occurring in 2007.

Volcanic ash covers the branches of a tree.

Homes in the village of Klyuchi were also covered in ash.

A group of volcanologists walk on ash-covered ground near Klyuchi. The fallout from the eruption was the largest in 60 years.

Lava and steam are visible during an eruption of the Bezymianny volcano (left) beside the Kamen (center) and Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcanoes on the Kamchatka Peninsula on April 8.

The Kamchatka Peninsula, in Russia's Far East, extends southward into the North Pacific Ocean. It is one of the most concentrated areas of geothermal activity in the world, with 160 volcanoes in the region, 29 of which are believed to be currently active.