December 12, 2012 Eruption of Tolbachik

A volcano in Russia's far eastern Kamchatka peninsula, which has been dormant since the 1970s, erupts, spewing lava and sending clouds of ash into the air. A crack about 5km long appeared on the slope of Plosky Tolbachik. The lava poured into a river valley, destroying a volcanologist research base and a tourist campsite, both of which were empty at the time. (reference #10366)

After lava flows from the Plosky Tolbachik volcano blocked a rural road used by tourists visiting Kamchatka, emergency workers have organized patrols to prevent human casualties. According to Itar-Tass, the local branch of the Emergency Situations Ministry organized the patrols due to an influx of tourists and adventurers attracted by the volcanic eruption, which started Nov. 27 and has been ongoing ever since. No casualties have been reported so far, the report said, although lava flows have destroyed a tourist camp, a scientific outpost and a nearby wood. Emergency workers have said that they will continue the patrols "until the eruption stops," which could take at least a month, Interfax reported. (reference #10371)

Weekly Report 12-18 December 2012. Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) reported that the S fissure along the W side of Tolbachinsky Dol, a lava plateau on the SW side of Tolbachik, continued to produce very fluid lava flows that traveled 17-20 km during 7-17 December. Strong seismicity was detected. Ash plumes rose less than 1 km and drifted in multiple directions, and at least two cones grew above the fissure. A very large thermal anomaly on the N part of Tolbachinsky Dol was visible in satellite imagery. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange. (reference #2432)