KODIAK (AP) — One of the largest and most active volcanoes on the Alaska Peninsula has grown increasingly restless since the start of the new year, sending up small ash plumes and experiencing increased seismic tremors.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory on Tuesday upgraded Mount Veniaminof Volcano's level of concern to yellow for activity considered higher than the normal background.
The level of concern is up from green, indicating normal activity, but is not yet to the orange level, when an eruption is expected to occur or is occurring.
Mount Veniaminof, elevation 8,223 feet, is about 300 miles southwest of the city of Kodiak. A large eruption of the volcano is not expected to effect Kodiak.
Two Alaska Peninsula villages are far closer. Chignik Lake, with a population of 113, is 27 miles northeast of the mountain and Perryville, population 106, is 22 miles southeast.
Weak seismic tremors were observed starting Jan. 1 and increased slightly over the next few days. Ash emissions were observed in images of Veniaminof taken around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
