On Sunday morning (August 18), a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the eastern coast of Russia, triggering a volcanic eruption with ash columns reaching several miles into the air.
Local time on Sunday morning, a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.0 occurred in the Pacific Ocean near the Russian Far East coast. Currently, there are no reports of casualties or property damage, but Russian state media reported that the earthquake triggered a volcanic eruption.
According to the Russian national news agency TASS, as a result of the earthquake, the Shiveluch volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia began to erupt ash columns reaching up to about 5 miles (8 kilometers) into the air, accompanied by a large amount of lava flow.
The Shiveluch volcano is located approximately 280 miles (451 kilometers) from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a coastal city in the Russian Far East Kamchatka region with a population of about 180,000.
TASS stated that the daily lives of residents in the area have not been affected by the volcanic eruption, but densely populated residential areas near the volcano may encounter volcanic ash.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the earthquake occurred at 7:10 a.m. local time, with the epicenter located about 55 miles (89 kilometers) east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky at a depth of around 30 miles (48 kilometers).
TASS mentioned that the earthquake did not cause “significant damage,” but buildings are being inspected for potential damage, with a particular focus on community facilities.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry did not issue a tsunami warning.
According to the Associated Press, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu initially warned that coastal areas within 300 miles of the epicenter could experience tsunami waves. However, the center later lifted this warning.
Following the earthquake, several aftershocks of lower magnitudes were recorded.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is located on the “Ring of Fire” in the Pacific Ocean, and the Shiveluch volcano is one of the largest and most active volcanoes on the peninsula.