Russia: After more than 450 years of slumber, the Krasheninnikov volcano erupts for the first time
The eruption comes days after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Kamchatka on Wednesday.
The Krasheninnikov volcano on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula erupted for the first time in more than 450 years, days after a powerful earthquake struck the region in Russia's Far East, Russian authorities said.
The volcano, which is over 1,800 meters high, is releasing a column of ash reaching 6,000 meters, the local branch of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations reported on Telegram. "The plume spread eastward towards the Pacific Ocean," the same source said, adding that no residential areas or tourist groups were in its path.
The Kamchatka Peninsula, home to some 30 active volcanoes, is one of the most seismically active areas on the planet, at the intersection of the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. This virtually uninhabited territory, however, welcomes tourists who come to explore its spectacular mountain landscapes and natural parks teeming with bears and salmon.
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According to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program, Krasheninnikov's last recorded eruption was in 1550. "Currently, a fissure is being observed on the flank and the formation of a lava dome, which is accompanied by powerful gas activity," Guirina, head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT), told the Russian news agency Ria Novosti.
It is the latest manifestation of intense geological activity in the region since Wednesday's 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Kamchatka, which triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific.
On Wednesday, the peninsula's highest volcano, Klyuchevskoy (4,750 meters), erupted. The region recorded more than 65 earthquakes on Saturday, 10 of which were felt in its main town, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, according to the Russian geophysical service.
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