Science & Technology
600-year dormant Russian volcano erupts, possibly triggered by massive earthquake
The Institute of Volcanology and Seismology posted on Telegram that there had been no recorded eruptions of Krasheninnikov in modern history until now.
The Krasheninnikov Volcano on Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula erupted overnight for the first time in approximately 600 years, and scientists believe the powerful earthquake that struck the region last week may have set it off.
The eruption sent a plume of ash soaring 6,000 meters into the air, prompting authorities to issue an orange aviation alert — a warning of potential hazards for aircraft due to volcanic ash in the atmosphere.
The ash cloud is drifting eastward over the Pacific Ocean and is not currently threatening populated areas, Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations reported on Sunday.
“This is the first historically confirmed eruption of Krasheninnikov Volcano in 600 years,” said Olga Girina, head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team. Girina added that the eruption may be linked to the magnitude-8.7 earthquake that struck off the Kamchatka coast on Wednesday.
That quake triggered widespread tsunami alerts, stretching as far as French Polynesia, Chile, and the Japanese archipelago, where waves of up to three meters were forecast.
Located in the seismically volatile “Ring of Fire,” the Kamchatka Peninsula is home to over 300 volcanoes, 29 of which are active. The region is no stranger to tectonic upheaval, but the reawakening of Krasheninnikov—a stratovolcano last known to have erupted around 1463 (± 40 years)—is of particular scientific interest.
The Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, which monitors volcanic activity in the region, posted on Telegram that there had been no recorded eruptions of Krasheninnikov in modern history until now.
The volcano rises to 1,856 meters and forms part of a larger complex located within the Kronotsky Nature Reserve, a protected UNESCO World Heritage site.
Wednesday’s earthquake also coincided with an eruption of Kamchatka’s most active volcano, Klyuchevskoy, adding weight to theories that large seismic events can act as triggers for volcanic activity. While the connection between earthquakes and eruptions is still under study, geophysicists suggest that stress changes in Earth’s crust can cause dormant volcanic systems to reactivate.