Aleutian volcano Great Sitkin briefly erupts, sending ash 15,000 feet high

A volcano briefly erupted Tuesday night in the central Aleutian Islands near Adak.

The 1- to 2-minute explosion of Great Sitkin volcano began just after 9 p.m., according to an activity notice from the Alaska Volcano Observatory. The volcano is on an island about 26 miles east of Adak Island.

The eruption sent a cloud of ash up to 15,000 feet high, the observatory said. The ash cloud has since detached from the volcano and was moving east, away from Adak, according to the notice.

Additional eruptions are possible, the observatory said.

Great Sitkin erupted at least three times in the 20th century. The most recent eruption was in 1974, the observatory said.