A volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia has erupted for the first time in centuries, shortly after a significant 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region. The Krasheninnikov volcano erupted, ejecting ash up to 6 kilometres into the atmosphere, as reported by staff at the nearby Kronotsky Reserve. State media captured striking images of thick ash clouds billowing from the volcano.
According to the local emergencies ministry, the ash plume is spreading eastward towards the Pacific Ocean, but fortunately, no populated areas lie in its path, and there have been no reports of ashfall in inhabited regions.
Accompanying the eruption was a 7.0-magnitude aftershock that initially led to tsunami warnings for three areas in Kamchatka. However, this alert was later rescinded by the Russian Ministry for Emergency Services.
Olga Girina, the head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team, confirmed that this event marks the first documented eruption of the Krasheninnikov volcano in 600 years. In contrast, the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program states that the last recorded eruption occurred in 1550, 475 years ago, leaving a discrepancy that remains unexplained.
As of late Sunday, authorities indicated that volcanic activity is decreasing, but there may still be “moderate explosive activity” continuing. The eruption follows the powerful earthquake that not only affected Russia’s Far East but also generated small tsunami waves as far as Japan and Alaska, prompting warnings across Hawaii, North and Central America, and other Pacific islands, including those towards New Zealand.