On Sunday afternoon, the Pavlof volcano roared to life in Alaska, sending a column of ash over 37,000 feet into the sky. The ash traveled for more than 400 miles, and grounded a few flights in the state.
At least one village reported being dusted by a coating of ash before the ash plume subsided early Tuesday. Residents in the nearby town of Cold Bay were treated to a light show, with lava fountains at the summit visible at night. The Alaska Volcano Observatory said that volcanic mudflows were likely in local river valleys.
Pavlof is a fairly active volcano with observed eruptions dating back to 1790.
The eruption is exciting, but is also notable in that it shares a start date with another Alaskan moment in geologic history. On March 27, 1964, a massive earthquake shook Alaska for 4.5 minutes, generating a tsunami. The Great Alaskan Earthquake is the largest ever recorded in the United States.
See more pictures and satellite images of the eruption below.
