Dormant Volcano in Russia Erupts After 450 Years, Days After Kamchatka Earthquake

A dormant volcano in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula erupted on Sunday, for the first time in over four centuries, sending ash plumes as high as 6,000 meters. 

The Krasheninnikov volcano eruption, which last happened in 1550, occurred just days after a powerful earthquake rocked the region. According to Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations, the ash is drifting eastward toward the Pacific Ocean. 

Authorities have confirmed that the plume's trajectory does not interfere with populated areas and that no ash has been reported in residential zones, AFP reported.

The eruption comes just days after a massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, triggering tsunami alerts across the Pacific, leading to evacuations from coastal regions in Japan, Hawaii and even in Ecuador.

In Russia, the tsunami caused damage in the port town of Severo-Kurilsk, where high waves disturbed the fishing facility.

The officials have issued an "orange" aviation alert in response to the volcanic eruption, signalling a potential hazard for flights in the region, AFP reported.

Earlier this week, another of Kamchatka’s volcanoes, Klyuchevskoy — the tallest active volcano across Europe and Asia — also erupted.

Eruptions from Klyuchevskoy are common, with at least 18 eruptions occurring since the year 2000, according to the Global Volcanism Program.

The timing of both eruptions, so close to the recent seismic activity, has drawn attention from volcanologists and geologists monitoring the region’s tectonic unrest.