Alaska volcano blows

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A volcano on a remote Alaska island has begun erupting, but poses little danger to people or aircraft, officials said Tuesday.

The eruption at Cleveland Volcano is a slow effusion of magma that is forming a lava dome, and not an explosive eruption that generates large ash plumes, said John Power, the scientist-in-charge at the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

“So far, it’s just lava as far as we can tell from our satellite imagery and the people who have managed to see it from passing airplanes,” he said.

The volcano is in a very remote area, on uninhabited Chuginadak Island, and that lowers the danger level.

Currently, the lava dome is confined within the summit crater. Power said the biggest danger would be if the lava dome began to grow large enough to spill out, then it could begin to generate ash-producing explosions.