MOSCOW (AP) — A volcano in Russia’s Far East erupted for the first time in more than six centuries on Friday, sending a towering column of ash into the sky just days after a powerful earthquake rocked the region.
The Krasheninnikov Volcano, located on the Kamchatka Peninsula, erupted on August 2 for the first time in recorded history. The Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IVS FEB RAS) and the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) reported that the ash plume reached heights of 5 to 6 kilometers (approximately 3 to 3.7 miles).
Volcanologists believe the eruption was triggered by the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck offshore Kamchatka on July 30, 2025.
The quake was one of the strongest to hit the region in decades, prompting tsunami alerts and aftershock monitoring.
No casualties or injuries have been reported as of Saturday, but authorities have advised residents and tourists to avoid the area due to potential ashfall and further seismic activity.
Aviation warnings were issued in the area, which is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The Krasheninnikov Volcano, last known to be active around the 1400s, had shown no significant signs of eruption in recent centuries, making Friday’s activity a rare and historically significant event.
Photos released by scientists at IVS FEB RAS and KVERT showed a dense ash cloud billowing from the volcano, blanketing nearby landscapes.
Local and international geological agencies continue to monitor the situation closely.