Mountain Guide Films Stunning Moment When a Russian Volcano Erupted for the First Time in 600 Years

Dormant volcanoes are spread across the globe in various geographical locations. While their existence is well-established, such volcanoes are highly unpredictable as it is difficult to determine their internal activity that causes eruptions. According to National Geographic, a volcano is an opening on the Earth’s crust through which molten rock, hot gases, and other minerals erupt. They are classified into three categories– active, dormant, and extinct. Recently, a mountain guide witnessed a scene unlike any other and saw the Krasheninnikov volcano in Kamchatka erupting as they flew around the dense fumes, as reported by Metro. 

Volcano erupts after centuries

After staying dormant for 600 years, the Krasheninnikov volcano erupted into a cloud of smoke. As per the report, experts suggest it is probably linked to last week’s massive earthquake that hit the nation. A rare glimpse of the volcanic eruption has lit up the internet. It was captured by a mountain guide swirling around the fuming volcano in a helicopter and included mesmerizing closeups of the smoke of ash oozing out of the volcano that had shown minimal activity over the past few centuries. CBS Evening News reported on the stunning visuals shared by the guide and revealed that no individuals were in danger because the volcano is largely surrounded by wastelands. However, the ash was said to be heading towards the east, to the Pacific Ocean. 

The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) called it a “historic” eruption because the “last lava effusion” had occurred between 1423 and 1503, per TIME Magazine. KVERT issued an aviation red alert 9.5 hours after the eruption tipped off. “The plume is spreading eastward from the volcano toward the Pacific Ocean. There are no populated areas along its path. No ash falls were recorded in populated areas. There are no registered tourist groups in the area of the volcano,” said the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the Kamchatka Territory in a Telegram post. In 1996, the Kamchatka Peninsula was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its “high density of active volcanoes.” The region has demonstrated high volcanic activity

What happens during an eruption?

A volcano erupts when the molten rock called magma builds up inside the volcanic chamber. With increasing pressure, the magma moves through the channels in the rock and escapes onto the planet’s surface, and is then referred to as lava. However, not all volcanic eruptions are explosive and may come out as a slow lava flow. Volcanoes are present both on land and on the ocean floor, creating underwater eruptions. These mountains then turn into islands when their shape and size become large enough to emerge above the surface of water.

The USGS stated that volcanoes can be triggered into eruption by “nearby tectonic earthquakes” if the mountain is already “poised to erupt.” “A few large regional earthquakes (greater than magnitude 6) are considered to be related to a subsequent eruption or to some type of unrest at a nearby volcano,” the report explained. However, some scientists believe that the Krashennikov eruption may not be entirely due to the earthquake, as it had already been showing “signs of unrest” in the weeks leading up to it. 

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