A powerful aftershock of magnitude 6.8 hit the Kamchatka Peninsula on Sunday, alarming residents and prompting precautionary measures from local emergency authorities. The earthquake struck at 17:37 local time (05:37 GMT), registering a significant distance of 277 km from the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a depth of 26 km.
The tremor, while considerable, was reported by the Kamchatka Tsunami Warning and Monitoring Center to generate tsunami waves over the Pacific Ocean that are unlikely to exceed 19 cm—an elevation deemed manageable. Nevertheless, in light of the potential risks, local emergency services urged residents to steer clear of coastal areas as a precautionary measure. The ministry also advised marine vessels, including those anchored in bays and open roadsteads, to navigate beyond the 50-meter isobath, ensuring travel perpendicular to the coast.
In a dramatic twist of events, the day also saw the historic eruption of the Krasheninnikov Volcano, which occurred at 2:50 local time Sunday (16:50 GMT Saturday). Local authorities confirmed this eruption marks the first instance of volcanic activity in recorded history, sending ash plumes soaring to heights of 3-4 km above sea level, as reported by the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT).
Fortunately, the ash plume drifted east towards the expansive Pacific Ocean, sparing any inhabited areas from hazardous ashfall. However, an orange aviation warning was issued as a precautionary measure. Situated around 200 km north of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and 13 km south of Lake Kronotskoye, the Krasheninnikov Volcano is part of the Eastern Volcanic Zone of Kamchatka. Authorities previously warned of potential ash emissions reaching as high as 6-10 km from several other active volcanoes in the region, prompting further safety advisories for both locals and tourists to avoid traveling within 10 km of these summits.
This seismic activity follows closely on the heels of an earlier 8.7 magnitude earthquake that rattled the Kamchatka Peninsula, leading to tsunami alerts and a state of emergency in affected areas including the Severo-Kurilsk district. With two significant geological events occurring in such proximity, concerns about the stability of this seismically active region remain heightened.