Russian volcano spews ash to an altitude of 3 miles

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Russia's northernmost active volcano erupted Monday sending a cloud of ash 3 miles into the atmosphere, officials in the country's Far East reported.

The 10,771-foot Shiveluch volcano has been increasingly active since May 2009.

"The cloud of ash moved in the eastern direction from the volcano having bypassed residential areas at the distance of some 50 kilometers [31 miles]," the local Emergencies Ministry said in a statement.

Although the current eruption poses no immediate threat to nearby settlements, the clouds of volcanic ash could pose a threat to air traffic by causing problems with aircraft jet engines, officials told RIA Novosti.

Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula has more than 150 volcanoes and up to 30 of them are currently active.