Russian Volcano Erupts for First Time in 400 Years

A volcano in a remote area of eastern Russia has erupted for the first time in at least four centuries, reports the New York Times. The Krasheninnikov volcano, located in the Kamchatka region, began spewing ash and vapor early Sunday morning, sending a plume up to four miles high, according to a statement from the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. See video of the eruption here. Researchers on site witnessed the event and were quickly evacuated.

"The plume is spreading eastward from the volcano toward the Pacific Ocean," said a statement from local officials, per the South China Morning Post. "There are no populated areas along its path, and no ashfall has been recorded in inhabited localities." The eruption follows a week of heightened seismic activity in the area, including an 8.8-magnitude earthquake—one of the strongest in history— that triggered tsunami warnings across the Pacific. The two events are likely connected, per the Japan Times.

Vsevolod Yakovlev, acting director of the nature reserve, described the eruption as "exciting and fascinating," noting that Krasheninnikov is one of eight active volcanoes within the reserve. Another, called Klyuchevskoy, also erupted after the earthquake, but that wasn't as much of a surprise. The Kamchatka Peninsula sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and frequently experiences seismic and volcanic activity.