Krasheninnikov Volcano in Kamchatka
Volcanic Ash Column Soars Up to 6,000 Meters
The Krasheninnikov volcano in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, which had been dormant for over 500 years since its last activity in the 15th or 16th century, has erupted. This eruption occurred just three days after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck the eastern Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia.
According to AFP and other foreign media on the 2nd (local time), Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti released photos capturing a massive column of volcanic ash rising from the Krasheninnikov volcano. The Kamchatka Emergency Situations Department stated in a Telegram post that "the ash column is estimated to have soared up to 6,000 meters." The department further explained, "The volcanic ash is spreading eastward toward the Pacific Ocean," and added, "There are no residential areas along the path of the ash, and there have been no reports of ash falling on inhabited areas." However, due to the Krasheninnikov eruption, "the aviation risk level has been raised to 'orange,'" which "means that flights in the region may be suspended."
Although there are differing views among research institutions, it is believed that the Krasheninnikov volcano last erupted in the 15th or 16th century. According to the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program in the United States, the most recent activity of the Krasheninnikov volcano was in 1550. Data from the Russian Institute of Volcanology and Seismology indicate an eruption around 1463 (with a margin of error of ±40 years), about 100 years earlier. Based on these sources, the recent eruption of the Krasheninnikov volcano is the first in at least 475 years.
On July 30, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck the Kamchatka Peninsula, which is located between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea in eastern Russia. This area is part of the "Ring of Fire," where seismic and volcanic activity is extremely frequent. The peninsula is home to more than 160 volcanoes, 29 of which are active. After the major earthquake, aftershocks have continued in the Kamchatka Peninsula, and the prominent active volcano Klyuchevskaya has erupted, sending red lava flowing down its western slope. Klyuchevskaya volcano, at over 4,750 meters high, is the tallest active volcano on the Eurasian continent. Since 2000, this volcano has erupted at least 18 times, indicating its high level of activity. Following the recent earthquake, tsunami warnings were issued not only in the affected area but also in Japan, Hawaii, and Ecuador, prompting millions of people to evacuate.
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