Alaska Airlines canceled 28 flights to or from the state of Alaska yesterday after a cloud of volcanic ash drifted across western Alaska. Seattle Times reported that the ash cloud was created by a recent volcanic eruption in the Russian Far East. Precautions have been taken to prevent powdered volcanic rock from damage the jet engine of the plane and potentially cause problems.
In case you lost it:
Shiveluch, a volcano on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, erupted early Tuesday morning. The eruption shot ash nearly 13 miles into the sky. The peninsula in the Russian Far East on the Bering Sea is home to 29 active volcanoes. Smithsonian Magazine reported that the plume of smoke from Shiveluch drifted westward and covered surrounding communities with a 3-inch thick layer of ash. The ash cloud slowly drifted nearly 1,800 miles east over the ocean toward Anchorage.
About the ash cloud, the Alaska Volcano Observatory said in a statement:
“While this cloud poses a potential hazard to the aviation industry and has disrupted some flights, no ash is expected to hit Alaskan communities. Whenever ash is expected in Alaska, the Alaska Volcano Observatory works in partnership with the National Weather Service’s Anchor Forecasting Office, which produces products to advise the public. them about the duration and severity of the ash.”
Alaska Airlines has warned passengers on upcoming flights to be aware of the situation as additional flights may have to be cancelled. “We continue to monitor the ash cloud and depending on its location, movement and duration, we may need to cancel additional flights,” the carrier said in a statement.
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