E-Paper
Massive volcano eruption, glowing lava in Russia after 8.8-magnitude quake
"A descent of burning hot lava is observed on the western slope. Powerful glow above the volcano, explosions," the Russian Academy of Sciences' said.
The Klyuchevskoy volcano, the tallest and most active in Eurasia, erupted late Wednesday following a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula and triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific.
The earthquake, described by Russian scientists as the most powerful to strike the region since 1952, occurred offshore at a shallow depth of 19.3 kilometers, with its epicenter located 119 kilometers southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of over 160,000 people.
Just hours after the quake, the Klyuchevskoy volcano roared to life. According to the Russian Academy of Sciences’ United Geophysical Service, glowing lava began descending down its western slope, accompanied by powerful explosions and a fiery glow visible for miles. Scientists say this sequence of seismic and volcanic activity is not unusual in the tectonically volatile region.
"A descent of burning hot lava is observed on the western slope. Powerful glow above the volcano, explosions," the Russian Academy of Sciences' United Geophysical Service said in a statement posted on Telegram.
The quake struck just before dawn, violently shaking buildings and sparking panic. “It felt like the walls could collapse any moment. The shaking lasted continuously for at least three minutes,” said Yaroslav, 25, a resident of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
