Russia Faces Tsunami Risk, Volcano Erupts After Following Earthquake

Russia’s Ministry for Emergency Services warned on Sunday of possible tsunami waves in three areas of Kamchatka, Russia’s Far East, following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake in the nearby Kuril Islands. “Expected wave heights are low, but move away from the shore,” the ministry advised on Telegram, citing recent seismic activity. The Pacific Tsunami Warning System and U.S. Geological Survey, both recording the quake at 7.0, stated no tsunami warning was required.

Concurrently, the Krasheninnikov Volcano in Kamchatka erupted overnight, its first activity in 600 years, according to Russia’s RIA state news agency and scientists. “This is the first historically confirmed eruption of Krasheninnikov Volcano in 600 years,” said Olga Girina, head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team, as reported by RIA. Girina noted on the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s Telegram channel that the volcano’s last lava effusion occurred around 1463, with no eruptions since. The Kamchatka emergency services reported an ash plume reaching 6,000 meters (3.7 miles) from the 1,856-meter volcano, drifting eastward toward the Pacific Ocean, posing no threat to populated areas. An orange aviation code was assigned, indicating increased risk to aircraft.

Both events may be connected to a powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Kamchatka on July 30, prompting tsunami alerts as far as French Polynesia and Chile and triggering an eruption of Klyuchevskoy, Kamchatka’s most active volcano. The Kuril Islands, extending from Kamchatka’s southern tip, were also impacted, with scientists warning of potential strong aftershocks in the region for weeks.