A volcano in Russia’s Far East erupted on Sunday for the first time in centuries, sending an ash cloud soaring several miles into the sky, scientists reported. The eruption occurred in the remote Kamchatka region, an area known for its volcanic activity but sparsely populated and located 11 time zones east of Moscow.
The Krasheninnikov volcano’s eruption marked its first known activity in at least 400 years, according to the Kronotsky Nature Reserve where it is located. Volcanic ash was observed rising as high as four miles, prompting the evacuation of reserve staff in the area. Officials noted the volcano’s distance from local towns meant there was no immediate threat to residents.
The eruption began early Sunday morning when researchers spotted gas and vapor emerging from the volcano’s crater. The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team confirmed no communities were at risk from the ash cloud.
This volcanic event follows a recent period of seismic unrest in Kamchatka, including a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake that triggered tsunami alerts but caused no significant damage. Another volcano in the region, Klyuchevskoy, also erupted shortly after that earthquake. The area continued to experience aftershocks, including a 7.0-magnitude quake near the Kuril Islands, which did not result in casualties or major damage. Emergency officials briefly issued, then canceled, tsunami warnings.
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