Volcano awakens after half-century slumber

Zhupanovsky, a volcano located in eastern Russia, exploded skyward yesterday, spewing ash up to 5 kilometers (16,400 foot) into the atmosphere. The eruption caught researchers off guard, as Zhupanovsky was not on their list of 'restless' volcanoes.

This recent event was measured as a category VEI 2, though future activity could cause scientists to raise the volcano's intensity. The surrounding area is sparsely populated, thus few were adversely affected by the over 1 millimeter of ash which fell on a nearby valley.

Zhupanovsky is listed as a complex volcanic system, consisting of four overlapping stratovolcanoes. Located in the southeastern part of Kamchatka Peninsula, it had been dormant since 1959.

Photo: Zhupanovsky [Игорь Шпиленок, via Wikipedia]