A volcano on Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula erupted overnight into Sunday for what scientists said is the first time in centuries, sending ash skyward just days after a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake rattled the region.
What Happened: The Krasheninnikov volcano sits inside the Kronotsky Reserve on the peninsula's Pacific coast, according to the Associated Press.
"The plume is spreading eastward from the volcano toward the Pacific Ocean. There are no populated areas along its path, and no ashfall has been recorded in inhabited localities," Kamchatka's emergencies ministry wrote on Telegram after the eruption. Staff at the reserve reported ash rising about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) above the summit.
Olga Girina, who leads the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT), told RIA Novosti, "This is the first historically confirmed eruption of the Krasheninnikov volcano in 600 years." However, U.S.-based Smithsonian data lists the volcano's last eruption in 1550, highlighting uncertainty around historic records.
A magnitude-7.0 earthquake accompanied the eruption and briefly prompted a tsunami warning for three areas of Kamchatka, later lifted by Russia's emergency services. By late Sunday, KVERT said activity was decreasing, though "moderate explosive activity" could continue.
Why It Matters: The blast followed last week's powerful 8.8-magnitude quake off Kamchatka that sent small tsunami waves to Japan and Alaska and triggered warnings as far as Hawaii, North and Central America, and islands south toward New Zealand. Pacific-wide alerts and evacuations followed as authorities assessed damage and currents across the basin.
Geologists are examining whether stress changes from the megathrust quake played a role in awakening Krasheninnikov after centuries of quiet. Officials said the eastward-blowing plume posed no threat to settlements, and authorities observed no ashfall in populated areas along the projected track over the Pacific.
Photo Courtesy: Deni_Sugandi on Shutterstock.com
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