Russia's Krasheninnikov Volcano Erupts After 475 Years

Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula is having a very dramatic week—and nature clearly didn’t come to play. Just days after a record-breaking earthquake triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific, a long-dormant volcano has burst back into action for the first time in 475 years.

Yep, the Krasheninnikov volcano, which hasn’t erupted since 1550 (a time when Shakespeare wasn’t even born), just shot a colossal 6,000-meter ash plume into the sky. That’s nearly 20,000 feet of “we’re back, baby” energy, according to Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry.

The eruption was confirmed on Sunday (Aug 3), with dramatic images showing towering ash clouds drifting east toward the Pacific Ocean. Fortunately, the plume’s current path avoids populated areas, and no ashfall has been reported in residential zones so far.

Aviation Alert Level: Orange

If you're planning to fly near Kamchatka, keep an eye on updates. Authorities have raised the aviation hazard code to orange, meaning potential flight disruptions are on the table.

And this wasn’t even the only eruption this week. Just a few days earlier, Klyuchevskoy—the tallest active volcano in all of Europe and Asia—also blew its top. Unlike Krasheninnikov, though, Klyuchevskoy is a bit of a regular in the eruption game, with 18 eruptions since 2000, according to the Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program.

Earthquakes, Tsunamis & Eruptions—Oh My

This volcanic activity comes right after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Petropavlovsk, triggering tsunami warnings from Japan to Hawaii to Ecuador. Russia’s Severo-Kurilsk port suffered the worst, where a tsunami wave swamped a fishing facility, according to officials.

It was the strongest quake in the region since 2011’s devastating tsunami in Japan.

So, is Mother Earth just stretching after a centuries-long nap—or is Kamchatka the new geological hot spot to watch? Either way, stay tuned (and maybe don’t book a beach trip in the Pacific just yet).

This article was previously published on UAE Moments. To see the original article, click here