Alaska Volcano Erupts; Island Residents Evacuated

[jus_the_facts]

Source: Reuters

Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:14am EDT

By Yereth Rosen

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, July 12 (Reuters) - A volcano in Alaska's Aleutian chain erupted on Saturday, sending a cloud of ash 35,000 feet (10.7 kilometres) into the air and prompting the evacuation of the 10 people who live on the eastern side of the island, officials said.

Okmok Volcano, located on Umnak Island, had an explosive eruption that started just before noon and was continuing through Saturday night, reported the Alaska Volcano Observatory, the joint state-federal agency that monitors Alaska's volcanoes.

The volcano rises to 3,520 feet (1,073-metre) and is located about 65 miles (105 kilometres) southwest of Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, a major fishing port with 4,300 full-time residents, and about 900 miles (1,450 kilometres) southwest of Anchorage.

Shortly after the eruption, the residents of the island's cattle ranch, located close to the volcano, placed a call seeking evacuation, the U.S. Coast Guard said. A fishing vessel took the Umnak residents to Unalaska, the Coast Guard said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN12382772

[jus_the_facts]

1. Pictues and updates here....

Eruption cloud from Okmok Volcano, taken from an estimated height of 20,000 ft above sea level. Cloud top estimated at 30,000 to 35,000 feet.


http://www.avo.alaska.edu/

This AVHRR Thermal IR (Channel 4) satellite image captured at 4:15 PM ADT on July 12, 2008 shows the ash cloud from the Okmok eruption which began at 11:43 AM ADT, July 12, 2008.

Aviation Color Code - RED
Volcano Alert Level - WARNING

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Okmok.php



The eruption at Okmok continues based on high levels of seismicity and ash continues to be erupted as indicated in satellite observations. Seismicity reached a peak at about 2200 Z (2:00 PM ADT) yesterday and has been gradually declining since. Reports from Unalaska indicate no ash fall in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor since last night. However, as of 0730 ADT the ash fall advisory for Nikolski and Unalaska/Dutch Harbor remains in effect.
Okmok Volcano is located on the northeast end of Umnak Island.

[Demeter]

2. Mother Nature's Global Cooling Program

Kicking in right on schedule