First-Ever Eruption of Krasheninnikov Volcano in 600 Years Triggered by Quake

The Krasheninnikov volcano, situated on the Kamchatka Peninsula, has erupted for the first time in recorded history, marking a significant geological event. This eruption was prompted by a substantial offshore earthquake that led to increased volcanic activity in the region. Local authorities reported that the eruption began at 4:50 AM local time on Sunday and resulted in a remarkable ash column that reached 6,000 meters in height.

According to Olga Girina, the head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT), this event marks a historic resurgence of the Krasheninnikov volcano after approximately 600 years, with the last known lava expulsion taking place around 1463. Currently, a lava dome is developing on the slope of the volcano, indicating ongoing volcanic activity alongside strong emissions of steam and gas, along with a steady ash plume emerging from the northern crater.

The volcano is named after the explorer Stepan Krasheninnikov and is composed of two overlapping stratovolcanoes within a large caldera located in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, roughly 50 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital. In response to the eruption, KVERT raised the aviation color code level from green to orange, and ash was reported to have drifted 75 kilometers to the east, although no ash reached nearby urban areas.

This eruption was preceded by an 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck to the southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky on July 30, which also prompted tsunami warnings and evacuations throughout the Pacific region. Following this earthquake, Klyuchevskaya Sopka, one of the tallest volcanoes in Eurasia, erupted in its strongest activity in seven decades. Additionally, several other volcanoes, such as Shiveluch, Karymsky, Bezymianny, and Kambalny, have shown increased volcanic activity, leading to warnings that ash clouds could potentially reach heights of up to 10,000 meters. Authorities have recommended that residents and visitors maintain a distance of at least 10 kilometers from these active volcanic sites.