Krasheninnikov Volcano in Russia’s eastern Kamchatka region erupted for the first time in 600 years. According to Russia’s RIA state news agency, scientists have said this is apparently linked to the massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Russia’s Far East last week.
“This is the first historically confirmed eruption of Krasheninnikov Volcano in 600 years,” reported The RIA, quoting Olga Girina, head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team.
What exactly happened?
Girina also said that this eruption might be connected to the earthquake near Kamchatka on Wednesday, which triggered tsunami warnings to regions.
Russian state media released pictures of this rare event, which showed a towering plume of ash spewing from the Krasheninnikov volcano.
What did the authorities say?
Kamchatka’s Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a post on Telegram that the plume is estimated to have reached an altitude of 6,000 metres.
The ministry stated, “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.”
The local authorities have given the eruption an orange aviation alert, meaning there is an increased risk to aircraft. This event comes just after another volcano in the region, Klyuchevskoy — the highest active volcano in Europe and Asia — erupted on Wednesday. Klyuchevskoy eruptions are common, with at least 18 reported since 2000.
Both eruptions happened shortly after one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck the area on Wednesday. The quake triggered tsunami warnings and led to mass evacuations in coastal regions from Japan to Hawaii to Ecuador.
Russia was the worst hit, with a tsunami flooding the port of Severo-Kurilsk and submerging a fishing plant, officials said.
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