Dormant volcano erupts in Russia’s Kamchatka after nearly 500 years

A long-dormant volcano Krasheninnikov on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula has erupted for the first time in nearly five centuries, according to the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The eruption began at 4:50 a.m. local time (GMT+12) on August 3, sending ash plumes up to 3–4 kilometers above sea level. The volcano, which stands at less than 2,000 meters tall, had last experienced a lava outflow in the mid-15th century, scientists said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Later in the day, the Kronotsky Nature Reserve reported intensified activity, with ash columns rising to 5–6 kilometers high. Ashfall has been observed across parts of the reserve, and the plume is currently drifting about 75 kilometers east of the volcano. Authorities warned that the ash cloud could pose a hazard to low-flying aircraft in the region.

In a related development, scientists also noted heightened activity at the nearby Klyuchevskoy volcano, where a lava flow has extended 2.7 kilometers down its southwestern slope.

Kamchatka, one of the world’s most volcanically active regions, is home to more than 300 volcanoes, 29 of which are active.

By Sabina Mammadli