Klyuchevskoy volcano in Russia starts erupting after earthquake
The Klyuchevskoy volcano on the Kamchatka peninsula in Russia begun erupting following a powerful earthquake on the far eastern coast of the country. Lava began to flow from the northern hemisphere’s largest active volcano, with the Russian Academy of Sciences’ United Geophysical Service writing on Telegram: “A descent of burning hot lava is observed on the western slope. Powerful glow above the volcano, explosions.”
The eruption of Klyuchevskoy occurred hours following an 8.8 magnitude earthquake early on Wednesday 30th July, triggering a tsunami that sent waves throughout the Pacific. This prompted evacuations and emergency declarations in Russia and Hawaii and alerts as far away as New Zealand. The earthquake ties for the sixth strongest ever recorded, being upgraded from an initial 8.0.
Regional authorities on Kamchatka said there were multiple injuries. The region’s health department chief Oleg Melnikov reported a few injuries during evacuations, including a hospital patient jumping out of a window, but all were in a satisfactory condition, he said.
Klyuchevskoy is 4,750 metres (15,584 ft) and last erupted in 2023. The volcano is around 280 miles (450 km) north of the region’s capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Observers reported explosions and visible streams of lava on its western slopes, according to the Kamchatka branch of the country’s Academy of Sciences’ geophysical service.
Scientists had predicted its eruption for weeks, noting that the volcano’s crater was gradually filling with lava and the ash plumes had been emitted from the mountain. In the day of the eruption, ash plumes as high as 1.9 miles (3 km) above sea level were recorded, according to Russian media reports.
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