Ash clouds, lava flows, and alerts: Kamchatka volcanoes erupt in series

As of August 2, 2025, four volcanoes in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula are actively erupting, while a fifth is showing signs of imminent activity. Regional emergency services are urging both residents and tourists to avoid the affected areas.

According to Russian media reports, the Kamchatka Ministry of Emergency Situations has confirmed heightened volcanic activity, particularly at Klyuchevskoy, where a summit eruption is ongoing and intensifying. The volcano is exhibiting Strombolian activity, releasing ash and producing lava flows. Authorities warn that ash plumes may reach altitudes of up to 10 kilometres above sea level.

Other volcanoes are also active:

• Shiveluch and Bezymianny are undergoing extrusive-explosive eruptions, with possible ash emissions of up to 8 kilometres.

• Karymsky continues its summit eruption, also with potential ash clouds reaching up to 8 kilometres high.

• Kambalny has not erupted yet, but increased seismic activity is being recorded around it, suggesting a possible explosive eruption, with ash columns potentially rising as high as 6 kilometres.

Emergency responders have issued a strong advisory, asking the public to avoid approaching within 10 kilometres of the summit areas of any of these volcanoes.

This surge in volcanic activity follows a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake on July 30, the strongest in Kamchatka in 70 years and likely the most powerful since the 9.0 magnitude quake that struck Japan in March 2011, which caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The quake’s epicentre was located 150 kilometres off the coast near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a depth of 47 kilometres in the Pacific Ocean.

The earthquake caused structural damage on land: cracks appeared in the walls of some houses, a kindergarten wall collapsed, and a hospital was damaged. Several people were injured, and authorities warn that strong aftershocks of up to magnitude 7.5 are expected in the coming days.

A tsunami warning was issued not only for Kamchatka but also for countries including Japan, the United States, Haiti, California, Chile, and Peru. Waves of 3 to 4 meters struck the Kamchatka coast, flooding coastal areas. In Japan, the tsunami washed four whales ashore.

The initial quake and the subsequent swarm of over 200 aftershocks appear to have triggered the renewed volcanic activity, beginning with the eruption of Klyuchevskaya Sopka, one of Eurasia’s most active volcanoes.

By Tamilla Hasanova