The Klyuchevskaya Volcano, which had been quiet for hundreds of years, finally erupted after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake occurred in the eastern Russian Kamchatka Peninsula. The eruption occurred three days after the earthquake on the 2nd (local time), marking its activity for the first time in about 475 years since the 15th and 16th centuries.
According to Russia's state news agency RIA Novosti, a huge column of volcanic ash soaring thousands of meters high was captured from the volcano that day. The Kamchatka Regional Emergency Management Agency stated via Telegram that "the volcanic ash rose to 6,000 meters and is currently spreading toward the eastern Pacific."
So far, there have been no reports of volcanic ash falling on nearby residences, but the Klyuchevskaya Volcano has received an 'orange' alert for aviation operation risks. This indicates a possibility of flight cancellations in the area.
There are slight differences in the last eruption year according to various agencies, but the Smithsonian Institution in the United States considers it to be 1550, while the Russian Institute of Volcanology and Seismology views it as 1463 (±40 years). Taking this into account, this eruption is at least 475 years in the making.
Meanwhile, after the magnitude 8.8 earthquake on the 30th of last month, aftershocks continue in the Kamchatka Peninsula. Right after the earthquake, the active Klyuchevskaya Volcano also erupted, with red lava flowing down the slopes. Klyuchevskaya is a representative active volcano that has erupted at least 18 times since 2000.
The aftereffects of this earthquake have affected areas beyond the Russian Far East, including Japan, Hawaii, and Ecuador. Tsunami warnings were issued in various countries, prompting millions to evacuate, while fishing grounds near the Severo-Kurilsk port area suffered flooding damage.