Russian volcano erupts for first time in centuries

A volcano in Russia called the “Krasheninnikov” at the Kronotsky Nature Reserve erupted for the first time in at least 400 years on Sunday, Aug. 3. Ash and gas emissions got as high as 3.7 miles as the plume spread east toward the Pacific Ocean, the Nature Reserve said.

Despite the fact that the Krasheninnikov, hasn’t erupted in centuries before now, Vsevolod Yakovlev, acting director of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, said such volcanic activity for the area isn’t surprising.

“Of course, a volcanic eruption is a bright and interesting event, first of all for scientists. But let me remind you that Krasheninnikov is one of the 8 active volcanoes of the Kronotsky Nature Reserve,” Yakovlev said. “Therefore, its eruption is not something out of the ordinary for a region with high volcanic activity.”

Surrounding the Krasheninnikov are volcanic wastelands, slag and lava fields that don’t have any vegetation, according to the Kronetsky Nature Reserve.

While they are monitoring the volcano’s condition, there’s currently no threat to the reserves employees or infrastructure.

There was a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that came with the eruption, leading to a tsunami warning for three areas of Kamchatka, the Associated Press reported. Russia’s Ministry for Emergency Services later ended those warnings.

These came only days after another 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit Russia’s Far East on Wednesday, July 30. That quake sparked warnings from North and Central America, Hawaii and Pacific islands south toward New Zealand.

Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team, per the AP, said on Aug. 3 that that the volcano’s activity was decreasing, though “moderate explosive activity” may still happen.