DANGER VOLCANO ERUPTS sending giant ash cloud 30,000 feet into air sparking flight fears

PLANES could be grounded and flights affected after a monster volcano sent a giant ash cloud into the skies – sparking the highest ever threat warnings.

Officials have been forced to raise the volcano and aviation alert levels after the Pavlof Volcano ash spewed 30,000 feet into the air.

The volcano on Alaska’s Aleutian Islands erupted with such strength "high-level" tremors could be felt hundreds of miles away.

There is also a risk small avalanches of hot rock could possibly cause mudslides,

Alaska Volcano Observatory geophysicist David Schneider said.

The volcano alert level is now on "warning" and the aviation level is "red” — both their respective highest threat levels.

The current cloud is 125 miles from the volcano itself.

The Pavlof Volcano is considered a 'high threat' volcano, with a danger rating of 95 according to the US Geological Survey,

Authorities have already warned airplanes to avoid the airspace near the volcano, but have yet to cancel any flights.

The volcano is situated along key international routes that connect Asia, Europe and North America and its eruption could cause travel chaos if the ash cloud worsens.

Mr Schneider said the volcano's eruption could last weeks and sometimes even months with different levels of intensity.

Pavlof is well-known as one of the most active volcanoes in North America, with more than 40 previous eruptions.

This is the second eruption this year. The Aslakan Volcano Observatory (AVO) warning "the eruption could revive with little warning".

According to the US Geological Survey station, previous eruptions at Pavlof have produced eruptions up to 49,000 feet in height, with some drifting more than 300 miles from the volcano itself.

The 8,262-foot volcano resides in a relatively remote and uninhabited area with the closest community located about 40 miles away, meaning the eruption poses no immediate threats of burning homes and properties.

An AVO spokesman said: "The eruption of Pavlof Volcano that began on November 12 has intensified and the Aviation Color Code was raised to RED and the Volcano Alert Level to WARNING earlier.

"Satellite, pilot reports, and wind data show the ash cloud moving towards the northwest over the Bering Sea."

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