The sleeping volcano Krasheninnikov on the Russian peninsula Kamchatka has erupted for the first time in four hundred years. That has the director of the nature reserve in which the volcano lies on Sunday announced. Shortly before the eruption, an earthquake took place near the volcano.
The area around the volcano consists of volcanic lava fields without dense vegetation. That is why the risk of a natural fire is very small. There are no indications that people were killed or injured. The eruption may be related to the earthquake in the same area earlier this week, Russian state media report on the basis of statements from scientists.
The eruption started early in the morning with explosions from the opening in the top of the snow -covered mountain. Then an ash cloud kilometers rose into the air. The mountain itself is just under 1,856 meters high. The ash cloud is driven to the east, towards the Pacific. There are no inhabited areas on that route. The volcano is in a vast, remote and uninhabited nature reserve.
On Sunday a major earthquake took place off the coast of the Kamchatka peninsula. Shortly thereafter, the Russian authorities warned that tsunamigolven could reach three parts of Kamchatka. People were pointed out not to go to the coast. During the day that warning was withdrawn.
Hurt
Scientists take into account that Sunday’s earthquake may have to do with this week’s events in the same region. On Wednesday, an earthquake found the Russian east coast near Kamchatka and the Koerilen island group, which stretch from Japan to eastern Russia and where huge waves hit the coast during the quake.
According to the measurements, the quake had a force of 8.8, which is exceptionally high. It concerned the heaviest since 1952 in the area. Several countries, including the United States, Japan, Mexico and China, watched tsunamis and sent their residents warnings.
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