Alaska Volcano Observatory raises alert level for Aleutian Islands volcano emitting ash

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A volcano in the western Aleutian Islands has been emitting ash since early Thursday morning, prompting the Alaska Volcano Observatory to raise its alert level.

Semisopochnoi volcano, which was previously listed as being under watch, is now under a warning alert level, the Alaska Volcano Observatory reported Thursday evening. The volcano’s ash cloud now extends more than 217 miles southeast of the volcano, with heights up to 20,000 feet above sea level, according to the observatory.

The observatory made the decision to upgrade the situation from a watch to a warning “based on the length and height of the ash plume and sustained nature of ash emissions,” according to a release from the observatory. Data from satellites suggests that ash emissions from Semisopochnoi volcano started early Thursday and “are continuing with no decrease in intensity.”

The volcano is on Semisopochnoi Island, 161 miles west of Adak.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory wrote that it will continue to monitor the situation.