Ash from Alaska's volcanos is like a rock fragment with jagged edges and has been used as an industrial abrasive.
The eruption can result in:
- injuring skin, eyes, and breathing passages.
- young, the elderly and people with respiratory problems are especially susceptible to ash-related health problems.
The first eruption, in a sparsely populated area across Cook Inlet from the Kenai Peninsula, occurred at 10:38 p.m. Sunday and the fifth happened at 4:30 a.m. Monday.
The wind took the ash cloud away from Anchorage, toward Willow and Talkeetna, near Mount McKinley, North America's largest mountain.
There were reports of a quarter-inch of ash in Trapper Creek and up to a half-inch at a lakeside lodge near Skwentna.
Dave Stricklan, a hydrometeorogical technician with the National Weather Service, expected very fine ash.
As a result by the fine ash, many people have said their eyes were itching and few even tasted ash in their coffee.
Increased earthquake activity over the past 48 hours prompted scientists to raise the alert level for Mount Redoubt on Sunday.
On Sunday morning, 40 to 50 earthquakes were being recorded every hour.
On Saturday, a steam plume rising about 1,000 feet above the mountain peak was observed.
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Wow. Luckily, Singapore doesn't have such volcanoes, or else we will be eating ashes everyday!!