Krasheninnikov Volcano Erupts for First Time in Centuries Following Massive Kamchatka Earthquake

The Krasheninnikov volcano on Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula erupted overnight into Sunday, marking its first known eruption in hundreds of years. This dramatic event came just days after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake shook the region.

Officials from the Kronotsky Reserve, where the volcano is located, reported an ash plume rising approximately 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) into the atmosphere. State media released images showing thick ash clouds billowing above the volcano’s summit.

According to Kamchatka’s Emergencies Ministry, the ash plume is drifting eastward over the Pacific Ocean, posing no immediate threat to nearby communities. “No ashfall has been recorded in inhabited areas,” the ministry noted on Telegram.

The eruption coincided with a 7.0-magnitude earthquake, triggering a temporary tsunami warning for parts of Kamchatka, which was later lifted by Russia’s Ministry for Emergency Services.

Olga Girina, head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team, confirmed to RIA Novosti that this is the first historically confirmed eruption of Krasheninnikov in approximately 600 years. However, the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program lists its last eruption around 475 years ago, in 1550, highlighting some uncertainty over the exact timeline.

By late Sunday, volcanic activity had diminished, though experts cautioned that moderate explosive activity might continue.

This eruption follows the region’s massive earthquake earlier this week, which caused minor tsunami waves in Japan and Alaska and prompted tsunami warnings across the Pacific, including Hawaii and parts of North and Central America.