On July 29, a powerful magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. Just a day later, on July 30, the region’s most famous volcano, Klyuchevskoy, officially erupted. According to a statement released by Russia’s geophysical monitoring agency via Telegram, bright lights and orange-red flames were seen at the summit, while scorching lava flowed down the volcano’s western slope. Smoke and fire continued to erupt from the crater, indicating ongoing volcanic activity.
Standing at 4,750 meters above sea level, Klyuchevskoy is the tallest and one of the most active volcanoes in the Northern Hemisphere. It is located in Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. The last eruption occurred in 2023. Over the past few weeks, scientists had observed increased internal activity within the volcano, including lava accumulation and rising ash columns, leading them to predict an imminent eruption.
The volcanic eruption was preceded by a massive offshore earthquake. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the quake at a magnitude of 8.8, with a depth of approximately 600 kilometers. Since the epicenter lies along the boundary of the Pacific tectonic plate, the quake triggered tsunami warnings, and emergency evacuations were ordered along parts of Russia’s Pacific coastline.
The earthquake’s tremors were felt beyond Russia. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued tsunami alerts for Hokkaido and the northeastern coastal regions and urged residents to remain alert. The U.S. state of Alaska also entered a state of high alert, while Pacific islands including Guam, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia briefly issued tsunami warnings.