KVERT reported that during 12-19 March seismic activity from Kliuchevskoi was above background levels. Strombolian activity ejected material 200 m above the crater and lava continued to flow down the flanks. Gas-and-steam plumes rose to altitudes of 5 km (16,400 ft) a.s.l. during 12 and 15-16 March. Satellite imagery revealed a large daily thermal anomaly at the volcano. Based on information from KVERT, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 21 March an ash plume rose to an altitude of 4.9 km (16,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE. The Aviation Color Code level remained at Orange.

Geological Summary. Klyuchevskoy is the highest and most active volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Since its origin about 6,000 years ago, this symmetrical, basaltic stratovolcano has produced frequent moderate-volume explosive and effusive eruptions without major periods of inactivity. It rises above a saddle NE of Kamen volcano and lies SE of the broad Ushkovsky massif. More than 100 flank eruptions have occurred during approximately the past 3,000 years, with most lateral craters and cones occurring along radial fissures between the unconfined NE-to-SE flanks of the conical volcano between 500 and 3,600 m elevation. Eruptions recorded since the late 17th century have resulted in frequent changes to the morphology of the 700-m-wide summit crater. These eruptions over the past 400 years have originated primarily from the summit crater, but have also included numerous major explosive and effusive eruptions from flank craters.

Sources: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT), Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)