For Immediate Release

FAIRBANKS, Alaska—Three Alaska volcanoes erupted in midsummer 2008. Cleveland, Okmok and Kasatochi volcanoes, all located in Alaska’s Aleutian Chain, made for a hectic 20th anniversary for the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

FAIRBANKS, Alaska—Okmok Volcano in the Aleutian Islands began erupting at 11:43 a.m. Saturday, just five hours after seismologists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory began detecting earthquakes. Okmok is located on Umnak Island near Unalaska in the Aleutian Islands.

The initial ash cloud reached heights of approximately 45,000 feet. As of Monday afternoon, an ash cloud was drifting southeast of the 3,520 foot volcano at heights of 30,000 feet and posed a risk to aircraft. Two plane flights from Unalaska were cancelled due to the eruption.