Shiveluch Volcano Erupts in Russia Following Powerful 7.0 Magnitude Earthquake

Moscow: The Shiveluch volcano, one of Russia's most active in the Kamchatka Peninsula, erupted following a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck off the eastern coast of the country, local media sources reported on Sunday. The eruption has sent ash and lava spewing from the volcano, with the state-owned TASS news agency quoting the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

According to the report, scientists observed that the eruption of Shiveluch had commenced, with an ash column soaring as high as 8 kilometers (about 5 miles) above sea level. This significant volcanic activity comes in the wake of a substantial earthquake that jolted the region just hours earlier.

The earthquake, which occurred late on Saturday night (local time), had a magnitude of 7.0 and struck a sea area off the eastern coast of Kamchatka. The epicenter was precisely monitored at 52.8 degrees north latitude and 160.15 degrees east longitude, pinpointing its location in the remote and geologically active region of the Kamchatka Peninsula. The quake occurred at a depth of approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

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Initially, the US National Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami threat following the earthquake, raising concerns of potential coastal hazards. However, the threat was later lifted as no significant tsunami materialized. Meanwhile, Russia's Emergencies Ministry did not issue any tsunami warnings for the region, further indicating that the risk of large waves impacting the coast had subsided.

In the aftermath of the main quake, the region experienced a series of aftershocks in the Pacific Ocean off Kamchatka, with magnitudes ranging between 3.9 and 5.0. Despite their proximity to the peninsula, most of these aftershocks went largely unfelt by residents on land, according to reports from TASS, which cited information from the Russian Emergencies Ministry.

The eruption of Shiveluch, coupled with the strong seismic activity in the area, underscores the volatile nature of the Kamchatka Peninsula, a region known for its frequent earthquakes and active volcanoes. Scientists will continue to monitor the situation closely as the Shiveluch volcano, which has a history of explosive eruptions, remains active and poses potential risks to the surrounding areas.