ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KRON/AP) – The Alaska Volcano Observatory said an explosion occurred on Tuesday at a volcano which hasn’t seen a significant eruption in almost 15 years.
If underground activity continues to increase at the Cleveland Volcano in the Aleutians Islands and sends ashes spewing, trans-Pacific flights could be threatened.
The observatory recorded the explosion at the volcano at 8:17 a.m. Tuesday, but so far no ash has been detected. Ash above 20,000 feet would threaten flights.
A code “orange” has been issued for the volcano, which means it is exhibiting heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption.
The volcano is located on an uninhabited island 940 miles southwest of Anchorage. Its last significant eruption began in February 2001.
In the last 14 years, Cleveland Volcano has occasionally produced small lava flows and explosions with small ash clouds below 20,000 feet.