Kamchatkan volcano belches out ash to 7 km above sea level.

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, March 24 (Itar-Tass) - A belching of ash to
the altitude of seven kilometers above sea level has been registered over
the crater of the Shiveluch, Kamchatka's northernmost active volcano,
experts at the regional affiliation of the Geophysical Service of the
Russian Academy of Sciences said.
The exuding of ash does not pose any risks for nearby population
centers, as no data on the fallout of volcanic dust there has been
reported.
The belching was not seen visually and scientists drew a conclusion
that it had taken place on the basis of information from seismic
observation stations located in the vicinity of the volcano.
They registered "a surface seismic event at the volcano" having a four
minutes' duration.
The Shiveluch has the elevation of 3,283 meters and the highest point
of its activity, the Young Shiveluch, is located at the elevation of 2,800
meters.
The volcano's basis has a diameter of 45 kilometers to 50 kilometers.
It occupies an area of no less than 1,300 sq kilometers.
The Shiveluch is one of the biggest volcanic structures in the
Kamchatkan volcano land.
At this moment, the volcano displays weak or moderate eruption periods
lasting from several months to two to three years.
The periods of its activation were registered in 1980 to 1981 and 1993
to 1995.
The last eruption ranking among disasters occurred in November 1964.
The Shiveluch activated again in 2001, with a growth of the extrusive
cupola - a towering of viscose lava -- evidenced in its crater.
Geophysical services and agencies keep the giant under permanent watch.
-0-kle